


Defending the Universe

by muchadoabouteverything



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Childhood Friends, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Male-Female Friendship, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-15
Updated: 2016-01-04
Packaged: 2018-03-30 17:26:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 22,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3945412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/muchadoabouteverything/pseuds/muchadoabouteverything
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose and Clara seem to keep running into each other throughout their timelines. Is it a series of coincidences, or is something more at work? Of course, the final time they run into each other is when several universes are at stake. It is up to Clara, Rose, and the Doctor to bring peace to the universes, or watch them be destroyed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

1992

Rose had already been laughing at Mickey for falling on his butt after sliding down the pole of the jungle gym. It hurt his feelings but she knew he would be fine, that is before a football hit him straight in the face. 

He was nine now, but that didn't stop him from crying. Rose was six, but that wouldn't stop her from beating up who ever hit him. How ever when she looked around for her victim, she found a girl with long braids running up to them. A guilty look stamped across her face. “Oh my stars. Are you alright?” 

Rose turned back to Mickey who was desperately trying to stop huffing. “Yeah m’alright. Just bruised.” He wiped his arm furiously across his face, collecting tears with his sleeve. 

“I’m really sorry about that. My dad thinks I could get really good at football if I practice hard enough, but I’m still no good. I’m better at talking really. I could do that all day. Really it’s my mum’s fault. I only came over her cause she didn't want me talking to a strange man.”

Mickey touched his cheek and winced throwing Rose a puppy dog look that she rolled her eyes at, but the girl with the braids looked concerned. 

“I really am sorry…” She trailed off, for the first time since she had run up to them, and Rose could tell this meant she was genuinely sorry. Mickey was still fighting back tears so Rose answered for him. 

“He’s alright. He’s had worse.” She turned to Mickey now, “Mum will want to know that you’re okay though, so might want to head over there before she comes fussing after you.” He nodded appreciatively and ran off. 

“Bit of a baby really.” Rose whispered to the girl after Mickey was out of range. The girl giggled a bit, relieved that she was out of trouble. “I’m Rose by the way.”

“Clara.” greeted the girl extending out her hand, which Rose took despite that shaking hands was for grown ups. “Do you live around here? My family’s just visiting London from Blackpool.” 

“Blackpool? Do you live near the Pleasure Beach? My mate Shareen’s been there once. Said she nearly threw up on a Ferris wheel. She’s no good around heights.I wish I could go, only I’m hardly even allowed to leave the estate.” Rose explained, eyes shining.

Clara looked like she was going to go into explanations, but the woman who was talking to Rose’s mom walked up to them. Rose figured it was Clara’s mom, and was proven correct when she told Clara it was time for them to leave. Clara ran off to join her mother, but stopped halfway in between and spun around.

“I’m sure you’ll get there someday. Look me up if I’m still around.”

“Sure. See ya.”

With that they were off and Rose was left to go look after Mickey.


	2. Chapter 2

1999

“Good Morning everyone. Before we get started today, I would like to announce that we have a new student joining us today. She has just moved here from France. Would you like to stand and introduce yourself?”

Rose watching as a brunette in the front left corner stood up and turned around to face the class. “Je suis Oswin. Nice to meet you.” Her smile was big and polite. If there was a definition of preppy, Rose thought, Oswin would be it. She was pretty, and Mickey seemed to have noticed as well. He was in the phase where he liked girls, but wouldn’t admit it and would just pick on them instead. At least Rose’s mum said it was a phase, and Rose hoped so because Mickey was being extremely annoying. 

Oswin sat down, and the class got back to business as usual. Oswin was sitting straight up in her chair, very proper, and listened intently to the teacher. Her features only faltered slightly when Mickey leaned over and gave a small tug on her pony tail. He and some boys sitting next to him giggled as he reached and gave another tug, a bit harder this time. More giggling, and Oswin very slowly turned around. She looked at them sweetly and gave her best smile showing off dimples. The boys next to Mickey blushed, but Mickey had a ‘what are you going to do about it’ face on. 

“Do that again and you lose your arm.” 

It surprised Rose how Oswin could look at them so sweetly and have no hint of it in her voice. The only thing there, was pure fury and truth that made Mickey’s face drop in sheer terror. 

Even Rose’s face dropped for a moment before smiling widely at a job well done. Oswin locked eyes with Rose as she turned back around catching her smiling at the situation. Rose was a bit embarrassed to be caught staring, but Oswin just gave her a smug grin. Rose decided Oswin was probably alright. 

****

It was a bad idea. Maybe if Rose had stopped to think about it for a second, she would have realized. She had always been a bit impulsive however, so of course she didn’t think about it. 

It only happened because Shareen had convinced her to skip school the other day to see The Sixth Sense in theaters. Of course they got caught, and by their Principal no less. Now she had to stay after and help the teachers clean out some of the files in the main office. It was mostly just shredding a bunch of papers, but Rose had managed to keep her mother ignorant, and wanted to get home quick before her mom would start to wonder where she was. 

She had just finished her last stack of papers, when Rose’s English teacher, who was supervising her, tapped her shoulder and pointed to a box at the very top of a cupboard. “Get a ladder from the caretaker. I’ve got to check on the tutoring in the library, so I’ll be out for a minute.” She was halfway out the door when she turned back to Rose and said, “You could use some tutoring too you know.”

After she left Rose made a face at the door. She wasn’t about to walk all the way across campus to the caretakers shed either, and that is how Rose was now climbing up a wobbly stack of chairs to reach the box. Even with her stack she couldn’t reach the top. She put her foot into one of the many cubbies in the cupboard and was about to hoist herself up when a voice behind her startled her. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

She turned back quickly to see Oswin standing close by with her arms crossed. Rose sighed and turned back around pulling herself closer to the box. “Sure it is. What are you doing here anyway?” 

“I was helping tutor some kids in English. I just came looking for Mrs.Kissock.” 

“She just left to check on you guys.” said Rose carefully scaling the cupboard. 

“Must’ve just missed her.” Oswin said looking off to the door for a second and then back to Rose. “Couldn’t you just get a ladder?”

“This seemed easier.” She was reaching for the box now, one hand pulling the box closer to her and the other holding onto a part of the cupboard. 

“Seems more difficult from where I’m standing.” The box was at the edge now, Rose keeping it from falling and deciding what would be the best way to grab it and bring it down from this point with only one arm available. 

“You are definitely going to hurt yourself.” Oswin said now climbing up the stack of chairs Rose had used to get up. 

“What are you doing?” Rose asked as she watched Oswin steady herself on the wobbly stack. 

“Helping.” She replied gripping the cupboard for support. 

Rose turned back around pulled at the box trying to put it in a place where she could grip it with her whole arm and climb back down. Instead the box began to tip over the edge. Since she couldn’t grip on it she pushed it back with both hands to keep it from falling.

Losing balance, she found herself falling backwards instead. She landed part way on the chairs and would have fallen back all the way if Oswin had not grabbed her around the waist and pulled her in close to where she was still gripping the cupboard. 

The box came crashing after Rose hitting her over the head before tumbling to the ground scattering papers all over the floor. 

“Oh my stars! Are you alright?” 

Oswin helped Rose carefully climb down the chairs as Rose clutched her head where the box had hit. When they were safely on the ground Rose looked up and around the room. She was a bit lightheaded, and her heart was still trying to calm down, but otherwise she seemed fine. 

“I think I’m okay.” Rose replied hesitantly. Oswin grabbed hold of Rose’s hand and looked into her eyes intently looking for any signs of further injury. 

Mrs. Kissock ran in at that point. Her eyes turned directly to the mess upon entering. “What happened in here?”

“There’s been a bit of an accident.” Oswin explained, smiling slightly to the teacher as if to say ‘it’s actually a funny story.’ 

Mrs. Kissock saw the stack of chairs against the cupboard and turned on Rose. “I told you get get a ladder.” Mrs. Kissock snapped. “You better pick all this up.” 

“Actually, Ma’am. Rose got hit on the head by the box. She’s got a bump on her head, I think she should get it checked out.” 

Rose looked at Oswin with her eyebrows raised. One of her hands were still touching the spot the box hit and she swore she felt no bump. Her other hand was still being held by Oswin. 

Mrs. Kissock looked at Oswin and her face became more gentle. Oswin obviously had a good impression on Mrs. Kissock. “Alright. Could you escort her to the nurse?”

“Yeah, no problem.” Oswin put a hand on Rose’s back and spoke to her gently, “Where’s your backpack?” 

Rose was blushing a bit, but she managed to point to the object in question. Oswin picked up her backpack and slung it over her shoulder along with the bag she had brought in. She put an arm around Rose’s shoulder and led her outside. 

“Is there really a bump?” Rose asked once they were in the hall, she kept feeling around on her head and found nothing. 

“Nah. Just didn’t think you’d want to have to clean that up.” Oswin replied with a smile. 

“Oh, you’re good.” Rose was smiling now too. “Hold on. Do I know you from somewhere?”

“Huh, I don’t think so.” Oswin said, caught off guard by the question. 

“How’d you know my name?”

“Oh! I overheard you talking to that annoying kid after class.”

Ah, yes. Rose had teased Mickey for his behavior towards Oswin. “Something you said back there- just seemed familiar.”

“Hmm. Well I’ve never met you before. I’ve never even been to London before this week.” 

“That’s right. You moved here from France.”

“Oui.” Oswin smiled proudly. 

“How come you sound like you’re from the north?”

Oswin shrugged. “France has a north.”

“Our class is heading down there next year in May. We are headed for the Musee de Louvre.” Rose put a flourish on the name and waved her hands in a curving motion.

“I’ve been there. Pretty dull actually. I’ve never been one for museums. We should go to Asterix Park instead! Much more interesting.” 

“Good luck convincing Mrs. Kissock to take us there.” 

“Well, maybe we could go some other time.”

“Yeah.” Rose sighed at what seemed to be an impossible dream. 

They were out of the school now, so Oswin dropped her arms to her side and handed Rose her backpack. She kept an even pace by Rose’s side as they walked in the direction of Rose’s home.

“Do you live this way?” Rose asked once she realized.

“No, but I thought I’d walk you home. There may not be a bump, but head injuries can be unpredictable. I’ve got nothing better to do anyway.”

“You a doctor or something?”

“No,” Oswin laughed, “but my mum is. My dad’s an engineer. They’re not around a lot, gives me more time to walk my patients home.” Oswin smiled at Rose, and Rose smiled back. 

“You plan on following after them?” 

“I don’t know.” Oswin’s gaze drifted up towards the clouds. She gripped at the strap of her bag. “Do you ever feel like you’re meant to do something? Like something big and important, but you’re just not in the right time and place?” 

Rose looked as Oswin carefully. “Not really.” She said truthfully. Oswin looked down at the sidewalk. “But hey. You saved me today. I’m really thankful. Have I said that yet? Thank you. I can’t believe I haven’t said that yet.”

Oswin looked up at her smiling, and then shrugged. “All in a day’s work. I never asked, what were you doing staying after school. You don’t seem like the type to stay after willingly. Although, if I could give you some advice, make friends with your teachers. It makes things easier in the long run, and there are perks.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Rose replied remembering how quick Mrs. Kissock was to believe her. "I got detention after being caught skipping school with Shareen the other day to see Sixth Sense. My mum hasn’t found out yet. That’s why I was trying to rush things.”

“Guess that didn’t work out to well.” Oswin teased.

“Nope. And we didn’t even get to see the movie. They wouldn’t let us in cause it’s pg-13 even though we are 12.”

“I have a cousin who works in a theater a little ways away from here. Maybe he could get us in.”

“It’s okay. I think Shareen’s older brother Nick was going to get us in this Saturday. That’s why I don’t want my mum to find out, so she’ll let me go.”

Oswin nodded and looked down again. Rose thought she must have said something to hurt her, and realized Oswin was trying to find something they could do together. 'We could go some other time.' 'He could get us in.'

Rose mentally smacked herself and managed to stammer out suddenly, "You should come with us! I don't know how good the movie will be, but I could get popcorn." She was suddenly nervous and she didn't get why. 

Oswin smiled big and proper at her and Rose found herself becoming envious of Oswin's perfect dimples. "Yeah, okay sounds fun. I'd like to get to meet Shareen too." 

"You'll get along great. She was the one sitting next to me in class."

"Oh that girl with the long dark hair?" 

"That's the one. Of course, Mickey would be coming with us to."

"Mickey?" 

"That 'annoying kid.' But don't worry," she rushed after Oswin's face turned to that of disgust, "he's actually good once you get to know him." 

“I’ll take your word for it.”

The first thing they heard upon entering Rose’s flat was scrambling from the kitchen. “Rose, love, is that you?”

“Yeah mum it’s me.” She called back suddenly nervous.

“Where have you been? I was worried, I was just about to call the school.” Rose’s mom came around the corner finally and noticed Oswin. “Who’s this?” She asked directed to Rose. 

Rose was still trying to come up with a cover to why she was missing, so Oswin spoke for her. “I’m Oswin. Nice to meet you. I’m Rose’s tutor.” Oswin stuck out her hand to shake Jackie’s surprising Jackie with her politeness, and Rose with her clever lie.

“Oh, nice to meet you. I’m Rose’s mum, Jackie Tyler. You can call me Jackie.” She shook Oswin’s hand vigorously then turned to Rose. 

“You didn’t tell me you were doing tutoring. About time.” She mumbled the last part to her and Rose just shrugged, a bit embarrassed. “Well, come on in I’ll put the kettle on.” She said motioning the two girls further into the house.

Oswin stayed for a few hours, explaining to Jackie how she had just moved there and what living in France had been like. Jackie and Rose told Oswin a little bit about living in London, giving her some advice. 

At one point, Jackie invited her to tutor Rose at their flat instead of staying after at the school. Oswin looked over at Rose for an excuse. “Yeah, if that’s alright with you I could use some tutoring.” Rose smiled at her sheepishly. Oswin nodded and agreed that she would. 

Finally, it was time for her to leave and Rose walked her down the steps of the estate. 

“Thanks again for-well everything!” Rose said with a hand raised to the back of her neck and the other stashed in her pocket. 

“Really don’t have to keep saying that. Are you really up for tutoring though?” 

“Yeah, sure. God knows I need it, and you’re better than the other snobby know it alls who tutor.”

Oswin smiled at this and adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder. She opened her arms to Rose, as a goodbye hug. “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

Rose stepped into her embrace and after a second they parted. “Yeah, see ya.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter turned into a middle school au, but whatever. It'll get back to space adventure stuff in a little while.


	3. Chapter 3

For about a month and a half Oswin spent most of her time at the estate, either tutoring Rose or hanging out on the weekends with Rose, Shareen, and Mickey. Mickey was still apprehensive about having her around, but Shareen warmed up to her after a while. Only after having a talk with Rose and ensuring that she still held the title of best mate, that is. 

Although, Rose didn’t admit to Shareen that Oswin was an extremely close second. They seem to connect immediately with their love for traveling and sense of humor. They also seemed to be really good at getting each other in and out of trouble. 

One day they were heading up to the Tyler flat for a tutoring session and raced each other up the long staircase to reach Rose’s floor. Rose got to the top first and they giggled and breathed heavily before hearing loud mumbling coming from beyond the door into the hallway. Rose quickly grabbed Oswin’s hand and pulled her into a corner motioning for her to stay silent. Oswin did so and the door open up with a bang.

The two girls watched as elderly man with white hair and a hunchback hobbled briskly passed them all the while talking to himself loudly as he descended the stairs. Rose and Oswin began to slowly move towards the door as when they heard him yell, “Many waters cannot quench love!" Despite his poetic words, his voice was rough and husky. Almost like a bear would cry before attacking. Rose and Oswin froze in place, but they heard the man continue his way down stairs, still talking to himself the whole way.

Rose opened the door and they both darted out letting the door slam behind him. 

“Who was that?” Oswin asked still trying to catch her breath from running up the stairs and now from fear. 

“This guy who lives on the estate. Shareen and I call him Old Scary. He’s always mumbling to himself random things. Mum says he’s just bonkers and not harmless, but still. He’s scary.” 

Oswin nodded and then stopped and stared at an apartment door that was left open an inch. “Is this his?” 

“He left it open, he must be coming back up.”

“Wanna take a peek?” Oswin dared, and she pushed the door open wider with one hand. 

Rose grabbed hold of her arm and was suddenly whispering. “What are you doing?”

“I always wanted to see what bonker’s kept in their flats.” She said taking a step toward the door, but Rose pushed her back. 

“He’ll be coming right back up.” 

“It’s a long staircase. We have at least five minutes.” Oswin raised an eyebrow at Rose with a smug half smile. “What? Not up for it?” 

A spark lit in Rose’s eyes. “After you.”

They entered the apartment, Oswin in the lead and Rose at her side holding onto her arm. It was ridiculous to be so afraid. It was just some guys flat, but Rose had grown up hearing him yelling into the night and having nightmares about the guy, so she held onto Oswin despite herself. 

It was dark inside. All of the curtains were pulled, and Rose could tell that the windows hadn’t been opened in a while. The flat layout was similar to the Tyler’s flat so at least it wasn’t exactly foreign territory. 

To Rose’s relief Oswin headed straight for the living room instead of attempting bedroom doors. There were papers scattered all over the tables. Oswin left Rose’s side to examine them closer while Rose stood half way in the hallway, checking the door every now and than.

“They’re poems.” Observed Oswin, holding up a few papers to Rose who just nodded hurriedly.

“Great, so can we go?” 

“Poe, Whitman, Dickinson. He’s got the whole collection here on separate pages.”

“How interesting. Better leave him to it than.”

“What your not at all curious?” She raised an eyebrow as a challenge.

Rose noted how that one action could bring such a rise out of her. It could replace any fear in her with bravery. She would have to worry about it later, but for now she stepped into the room and grabbed the papers from Oswin’s hands. 

“Looks like he writes a few too.” Said Oswin picking up more papers. 

" Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it." Rose got a quick glance at Oswin’s papers, before they started hearing mumbling. 

The girls looked at each other panicked, then dropped the pages back onto the table and started down the hallway. The mumbling grew louder as it got closer. Oswin started making a bolt for the door, but Rose grabbed her arm pulling her back so suddenly she had to catch herself so she wouldn’t fall over. 

“He’ll see us. In here.” Rose said opening a closet to her left and pulling Oswin inside. 

It was a small place, filled with linens and similar to the closet in Rose’s flat. The heard the man that went by Old Scary pull the door shut and shuffle down the hallway. The girls covered their mouths and held their breaths as they watched the light under the door shift as he past them, going straight into the kitchen.

The heard him fiddling with some pots before Rose dared opening the closet door and peaking out. She gestured to Oswin and they both hurried quietly and snuck out the door, closing it softly behind them before flat out running to Rose’s flat.

Neither of them spoke until they were safely in Rose’s flat, leaning up against the closed door. They looked at each other, breathless and wide eyed before they started cracking up uncontrollably. 

Rose hit Oswin in the arm and she made a mocked hurt face that quickly dissolved into a smile. 

“What are you two up to?” Jackie called, coming around the kitchen to the hallway. She eyed them suspiciously. At this point the two girls didn’t even have to glance at each other to start rattling off a story. 

“Mickey was messing about.” 

“Doing a bit like in Eastenders.”

“Huh, well I got biscuits in the kitchen.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got Old Scary from the Doctor Who book The Feast of the Drowned, by Stephen Cole. It's with the tenth doctor.


	4. Chapter 4

“California?”

“Yeah, we’ll be in San Francisco on New Years.” Oswin smiled big and excited. Rose would have been excited for her too if it didn’t mean she would be gone all winter break. 

“Can you believe it Rose Tyler! We are alive at the turn of the century!”

Rose smiled to herself. Oswin would romanticizes the passing of time, even though it was little consequence to them.

“Do you always spend holidays on the other side of the world?”

“My parents were invited to some convention. Something to do with clocks, I think.” 

“That’s exciting.” Rose said sarcastically. 

Oswin pushed her teasingly. “Too bad we can hang out for most of winter break, but we’ll be back a week before school starts.”

“Yeah…”

They had been walking through the school to go home for the day and now found themselves outside. 

“I’ll be back before you know it.” Oswin reassured Rose, and they both stopped walking before they parted ways to their different houses. They stood for a second in silence. Rose staring at her feet and Oswin looking off in the direction of her house dismally. Oswin put her hands on Rose’s shoulders drawing up her eyes.

“Hey. I’ll see you soon.” She smiled so widely and surely that Rose couldn’t help but smile to. 

“Yeah, okay.” They hugged briefly before stepping off in different directions.   
“See ya!” Rose called, walking backwards as she watched Oswin walk off. 

Oswin spun around and waved back, a bright smile across her lips.

That was the last time Rose saw Oswin. 

****

A day after the Oswald's were supposed to get back, Rose went by their house and found it empty. She went by a couple more times throughout the week and never saw anyone.

Oswin didn’t show up when school started the following Monday. Rose and Jackie waited in worry for two more weeks before they heard anything. 

One day, Rose came home to find Jackie on the sitting on the couch with tea ready on the coffee table. Jackie stood as soon as Rose entered the room, making her pause before slowly putting her backpack on a chair. 

“What’s wrong.”

“Take a seat, Sweetie”

Oh, no. 

She sat down slowly waiting for the news. It could be anything, Rose tried to convince herself.

“Listen, Honey. The Oswalds called this morning. They didn’t come back because there was an accident in San Francisco.” 

Rose’s heart dropped, and she held her breath.

“I’m sorry. Oswin’s gone. She - she died.”

Tears dropped instantly, and she grabbed hold of her mother gripping her shirt tightly. Jackie held her gently and let her cry into her shirt.

They were huddled like that for the rest of the night. 

The Oswalds never moved back, and Rose never got the full details of the accident.

****

May 2000

Rose sat, arms crossed, staring outside the window of the cab as they inched through traffic. Shareen sat in the middle, hands in her lap and fidgeting as she stared at her feet. Mrs. Kissock sat at the other end mirroring Rose. 

They had left the rest of the group at the french museum and now Mrs. Kissock was stuck getting them home. She couldn’t help but be upset about the whole thing, even though she understood.

Rose had been acting out the whole semester. Ever since what happened to Oswin. She knew they had been close.

She peeked over at Rose, and saw her blank expression in the reflection of her window. She could tell Rose was hurting on the inside.

“We’re going to have to tell your parents.” Mrs. Kissock told them. Shareen looked over guilty and nodded. Rose just kept staring. 

“Are we going to get suspended?” Sharreen asked, freaking out a bit.

“I’m sure your parents will come up with a justifiable punishment.”

This shocked Shareen a bit. “Hold on. We’re not even getting detention?” 

Mrs. Kissock glanced at Rose and shook her head. 

“What? We had to stay after school for three days cause we skipped school, but we ditch the class to go to Asterix Park and we don’t get anything?”

“Would you like a few days of detention, Shareen?” 

“No, Ma’am! Sorry. Thank you.” She stopped talking in case she gave her teacher any more ideas. 

Rose finally looked over and caught eyes with Mrs. Kissock who winked at her. Rose gave a small smile back and went back to looking out the window, but the dark mood that had sat in the cab had lifted ever so slightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So basically, Oswin would have been in San Francisco the same time as the eighth doctor. 
> 
> If anyone wants it I can write something short, about how that panned out.


	5. Chapter 5

200,100

Her eyes filled with gold as her mind filled with knowledge. Knowledge of time and space. 

The TARDIS materialized back onto Satellite 5, and Rose stepped out surrounded by golden light. She got it now. She saw everything and she understood what must be done. She saw all of time and space and in the middle of it all, she saw one thing. The Doctor.

And there he was. At her feet.

“What have you done?”

“I looked into the TARDIS, and the TARDIS looked into me.”

“You looked into the time vortex! Rose, no one’s meant to see that!”

But she was. This was always going to happen. they had seen the very fruit of it. Following them through time. 

The daleks were doing something. She didn’t have time for them. She lifted a hand and they could not hurt her. 

“I am Bad Wolf. I create myself. I take the words, I scatter them in time and space. A message to lead myself here.”

She said it as she saw it. Every moment to get to where she is now. But it didn’t stop there. Moments in the future were leaking in like they were present, or possibly the past. 

There was one particular moment that she was needed. The moment. The moment that the whole universe seemed to converge on. 

And there she was, seeing all and knowing exactly what must be done. 

“It’s nothing.” The Doctor spun around and found her sitting on the most dangerous weapon in the universe. “It’s just a wolf.” 

He was so sad, so alone, and about to make the decision that would save the universe and end him. 

So she showed him. What was to come, what must be done. The Doctor, all of him. Every single one of him, in her head, like a ball of yarn and her line wound tightly around his, because she willed it to. 

There were lots of other lines. Millions of them, tangled around, and hers to command if she felt like it. But there was one in particular that was tied to her line and the Doctor’s. 

It was fragmented and seemingly everywhere. Strung about through all of time and space, but centered in on those two particular timelines. A single person. A girl. A face Rose recognized.

And there she was, at the moment where everything converged. 

In the end it was nothing Bad Wolf did, even with her infinite power. It was Clara, who changed the Doctor’s mind. Clara who had saved him time and time again. Clara had saved Rose too, along with millions of others. 

“Thank you.”

Clara spun around and found a blond woman leaning up against the railing in the TARDIS, holding a finger to her lips. 

“Only you can hear me.” 

Clara looked the woman up and down suspiciously. A thousand thoughts ran through her mind, particularly along the lines of 'who are you' and 'why does this keep happening with crazy haired blond ladies,' when finally it occurred to her who this woman might be. 

“Are you Bad Wolf? The one the other Doctor was talking about?”

“Ooh, you are good.” 

Clara looked over at the Doctor, but he was busy talking with the Timelords in the citadel and organizing himselves into positions to save Gallifrey. Clara looked back toward the woman, but she was gone. Surprised, Clara looked around for any other sign of her and found her by the console, at the Doctor’s side. 

“There is enough happening today, than for me to make an appearance.” Bad Wolf said staring at the Doctor wistfully as he flipped controls and ran about the TARDIS. 

“Why show yourself to me than?” Clara spoke softly, as to not attract attention from the Doctor. Even though Bad Wolf was on the other side of the TARDIS, Clara knew the woman could hear her.

“Two reasons,” Bad Wolf said, walking across the back of the console, but when she should have come out the other side she wasn’t there.

“There are two points in time that hold the fate of several universes. Points that can lead to greatness, or end in desolation.” Bad Wolf was now right next to her, looking towards the center of the room while Clara stared at her, startled.

“At each of these points there is the Doctor, me…” she turned to Clara, and suddenly they were very close. Almost nose to nose, looking deep into the cosmos of each other's eyes. “and you.”

Clara wanted to ask more questions, but facing each other like this was very distracting.

“You seem familiar.” Clara whispered, in a trace. 

“We’ve met before. Or we will meet. Or perhaps its both. Never can tell with you.” Bad Wolf took a step back and Clara was able to take a breath. 

 

“So you’re warning me. Something else is coming. There will be another point with all of us together.” 

Bad Wolf nodded and leaned back up against the rail. 

“What was the other reason?” 

“Huh?”

“You said there were two reasons.”

“I already said the first one.” 

“What?”

Bad Wolf rolled her eyes and took a step toward Clara once again. “Honestly, people never listen.” 

She was nose to nose with Clara again, and once again Clara held her breath. 

“Thank you.” 

Bad Wolf held the back of Clara’s neck and pulled her in, gently kissing her. Clara closed her eyes, feeling warmth and energy rush through her, and just as suddenly, it was gone. 

She opened her eyes and Bad Wolf had disappeared. It was just Clara and the Doctor. 

“Geronimo!” The Doctor yelled, bring Clara back to the present. There was a big explosion that shook the TARDIS violently. And then there was peace. 

The Doctor and Clara both hung onto the console and waited before they looked at each other. 

“Did it work?” Clara asked quietly.

“Let’s find out.” The Doctor answered equally quiet, and set course for the museum.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter might be a bit confusing. Comment if you have any questions and I'll answer them.


	6. Chapter 6

“4th of February 2015, 10:30 PM”

Called the Doctor from the console while Clara gathered school work from off of his leather chair on the upper deck of the TARDIS and shoved it into a bag. 

“And- oh. Uh…” Clara looked up from where she was packing her things and glared at the Doctor, who was squinting at the screen and typing furiously.

“Do I dare ask you what’s wrong?”

“You inadvertently just did. Was that a trick question?” He quipped half heartedly. 

“Doctor?”

“We may be a bit of a way away from your flat.”

She dropped her bag on the chair and folded her arms. “How much of a bit.” 

“It’s not my fault the TARDIS decided to follow your timeline here.”

“My timeline?” Clara asked, now interested and hopped down the stairs to join the Doctor. 

“Yeah, the TARDIS is still faintly attached to your timeline. But we seem to be in the middle of nowhere. Literally, in the middle of a big empty street.” He pulled the screen over so Clara could see. “Probably a mistake. Most likely it’s nothing.”

“Nothing is never ‘nothing’ with you.” She said raising an eyebrow. “What’s the catch?”

“There does seem to be a sort of,” He waved his hands about in the air and briefly motioned toward the screen, “quirk.”

“Just let me change my shoes.” Clara sighed and headed down the steps.

The Doctor’s eyebrows sunk, and he frowned. “Honestly, no faith in me at all.” He whined.

She just rolled her eyes and stepped into the hallway toward her room. He turned back to the screen to find out more about the oddity before they went out and investigated, when the door rattled. 

It sounded like someone had tried to open the door, but it was so brief and small that he almost thought he imagined it. That is, until he heard the lock rattle and realized someone was definitely coming in.

He could only take two steps forward before the door flew open and a blond woman came running in with a bag slung over her shoulder and a huge grin on her face that slowly diminished as she took in her surroundings. Her mouth hung open as she took in the room, and shut instantly as she beheld it’s inhabitants. 

No one spoke, she just stared at him uncertain. He stared back, wide eyed, eyebrows raised. 

“Rose?” 

“Doctor?” 

The Doctor watched her whole frame drop with a kind of sadness. Before either of them could speak again, Clara came running in. 

“If it’s something to do with my timeline, would it be dangerous for me to…” She stopped talking when she reached the top step and noticed the change in the room. Clara turned and stared at the new arrival, who now had eyes wide with shock.

“Bad Wolf…” Clara gasped.

“Clara?” Rose questioned a millisecond after, leaving both girls stunned and confused, with a Doctor looking searchingly between them.

“What?” They both asked simultaneously now. 

“You two know each other?” The Doctor asked throwing his hands back and forth between the two.

Of course, the confusion got worse when red lights flashed and an alarm flared through the room. 

The Doctor ran to the controls and checked the screen for the problem. His eyes grew wide once again and he ran off to the side and held onto the railing.  
“Brace yourselves!” He called to his companions who followed suit. 

Rose got to the rail and was able to get a good grip before the TARDIS spun wildly out of control. Clara was able to brush her fingertips on the rail before she was thrown back by the sudden movement. Rose caught her arm and helped her grip the railing. 

The group was thrown around in a frenzy until finally the TARDIS landed in a crash on it’s side, leaving the three of them dangling from rails. The door of the TARDIS was facing up so anyone who attempted to leave would be met with a climb at a 90 degree incline. Papers and books scattered the place pooling at the bottom wall and some into the hallway. 

Despite everything, Clara couldn’t help thinking about her ruined pile of school work. 

“What happened?” she asked, catching her breath.

“We were hit by a truck!” Sneered the Doctor, as he launched himself from the rail to the console in the middle of the room. 

“Okay, that I didn’t expect.” Rose remarked.

“That’s not the end of it.” Admitted the Doctor checking his screens and flipping switches, although some what awkwardly from his position with his feet on the base of the console and reaching over the edge to the dials and switches. The TARDIS slowly raised and righted itself out, and gratefully, it’s occupants put their feet back on the floor.

“That’s better.” Commented Clara, with a smile before she glanced at the other women in the room. They were both throwing curious looks at each other. Each sizing up the other. 

“That wasn’t me.” The Doctor admitted before looking warily at his companions. “We’re caught in a tractor beam. It’s the Daleks.”

“That much I expected.” Rose professed.

The TARDIS shook as it ascended towards the enemy.


	7. Chapter 7

"You were expecting this?" The Doctor yelled, towering over Rose suddenly. “And you didn’t warn us?” 

Rose stood still, shocked under his deadly glare. Was this really the Doctor? He was different. Really different. More different than she could have ever imagined. She looked into his eyes and saw no kindness, only ice. She had seen this look in his eyes before, but never so cold, and never directed on her with such a fierce disposition. She was almost afraid of him. 

Clara watched her flinch at the Doctor’s words and spoke, directing the Doctor’s attention away from Rose. “Like you can talk, Mr. notices-a-truck-five-seconds-before-it-hits-us!”

“Oh, yeah. Sticking out for eachother like the old chums you apparently are. How do you know each other anyway?”

“Oh, please! Fixing the blame elsewhere, when there is an obvious situation going on here. So, what if we’ve met before-which we will get back to-” Clara said glancing over at Rose. “it has nothing to do with the situation we are in now. So, what’s happening? Why are you cross.”

Rose watched as they stared at each other, almost like a silent war between them. It ended when the Doctor ran a hand down his faces in defeat and looked at Rose, a contemplative look in his eyes. 

“It’s because Rose is here.” Both of them were looking at her now, and Rose straightened her shoulders unconsciously. “Being here should be impossible, and if it is some how re-possible, than something bad is happening.” 

Rose opened her mouth to speak, but the TARDIS shook signifying their stop. 

“The Doctor and his companion will exit the TARDIS.” They heard a Dalek voice screech from beyond the door. Instead, the Doctor walked over to the console and began flipping switches. 

Rose gripped the strap of her pack. “What are you doing?”

“They’ve got a TARDIS trapped in a force field, but I think I can get us out.”

“You can do that?” 

“Possibly.” 

A lever was pulled down, rather dramatically, and the TARDIS took off with wobble. 

“Are we safe?” Rose asked after a moment of silence and waiting. 

“For now.” Said the Doctor, staring at a screen. “They’re following us.” 

“Hold on. Don’t you have shields or something to keep people from beaming us up?” Clara asked squinting at the Doctor suspiciously, and folding her arms.

“Beaming up is not a technical term, so I suggest you never use it again. You just sound silly.”

“Doctor.” Clara warned.

“I may have lowered the shields to follow your timeline”

“You were following my timeline? You said it was the TARDIS! Oh, she’s probably not happy about that.” 

“Like you get along with her so well.” 

“Explain, Doctor. Why were you looking at my timeline?” 

“I’m a little busy trying to lose the Daleks here!” Indeed, he was still turning knobs and dials as the TARDIS soared through the cosmos with all three passengers holding onto the console as the ship shook and spun. Clara just glared at him, relentless. 

“Fine. I saw Bad Wolf somewhere and was looking into it, I found traces on your timeline that led us to Rose. Why am I the only one explaining things? How do you know Bad Wolf?” 

“What?” Clara gulped, retreating into herself and switching to defense.

“When you saw me you said Bad Wolf.” Rose spoke up for the first time. She was more than a little offended that they were keeping her out of their conversation, and talking about her like she wasn’t in the room. 

“I met you before, when we saved Gallifrey. You said we would all be together again,  
when something big would be happening to the universe. You don’t remember?”

“You saved Gallifrey?” Rose asked, shocked. 

“Yes, yes that happened.” The Doctor cut in, shewing Rose off, and she had the overwhelming feeling to punch him in the teeth. 

“Why didn’t you tell me this?” The Doctor yelled at Clara. Giving her those icy eyes, and hard eyebrows.

Clara didn’t seem to waver under his gaze. If anything, she seemed to get stronger. In a non-running from danger situation, Rose might have cried at the sight.

“It’s not like it was anything helpful. Just a vague warning that something was coming.” She left out the part that she didn’t know how to tell the Doctor that the ghost of his old companion snogged her. “ And after everything that happened that day, you regenerating soon after, and trying to find Gallifrey-”

“Hold on. You’re trying to find Gallifrey?” Rose cut in.

“Yes. Do try to keep up.” The Doctor said, glaring at her. 

Rose remembered back to when Shareen told her not to fight with the designated driver. She thought this rule applied especially while said person was actually driving. Despite this, she rounded on the Doctor and slapped him hard across the face. 

The force of her hit drove him back a few steps and he looked at her shocked. She watched the ice knocked out of his eyes to be replaced by surprise. 

The TARDIS wobbled at lack of a driver and Clara dove toward the controls and kept them steady as Rose confronted the Doctor.

“Rose.” The Doctor gasped, rubbing his face. 

“I know where it is.” She said keeping her eyes locked with his, making sure his full attention was on her.

“What?”

“I know where Gallifrey is.” 

The TARDIS shook wildly with one final jerk as they crashed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Thanks for all the messages! they mean everything to mean. Also sorry for the short chapters and long waits. Things get weird after this chapter. To go forward we need to go back.


	8. Chapter 8

2008

It had been two years since Rose had seen the Doctor. Two years of being stuck in this godforsaken universe. It shouldn’t have been too bad. She had her mum and Mickey, and now her dad and a baby brother. So, it wasn’t like she was alone, but she knew he was. 

The Doctor would have wanted to move on. ‘Live a fantastic life,’ he once said to her, and she would make sure of that. If that included figuring out a way to get back to him, then she was going to make sure that happened. 

In her first few months here, all she did was work on the dimension cannon. They built a machine . Tired of being told all of her work is in vain.That her theory was impossible with the available materials. Tired of nights spent crying in her bed. Tired of living in the past no matter how much more it was compared to now. 

Now working on the Dimension Cannon had became a sort of background routine in her life. Working on it in her spare time, or whenever she was bored. That is until Pete decided to pull the plug. 

“We’re not getting any closer to a solution, and continued working on this just takes time and resources.” Pete told her in a compassionate tone. He almost said he was sorry, but he knew she wouldn’t appreciate it. 

She had argued with him on this before, but reality and despair were weighing on her. She said nothing, just shook her head and looked out the window of Pete’s office for a second before she stood. 

“I’ve got to get to mission briefing.” She told him waiting to be dismissed. 

“That’s another thing. We are having a hard time getting permission from the States. Politics and all that. We are working on it with the President, but you know the Americans. Their trying to put a team together to work with extraterrestrials of their own.”

“So, it’s been cancelled?” Rose asked nearing anger. 

“For the time being.”

Rose groaned and rolled her head back. Looks like drowning herself in work this weekend was not going to be an option. 

“I’m sure we can pull some strings, and get you on our cruise.” 

“No, it’s alright that’s for you and mum to enjoy.” She sighed. “It’s fine I’ll just watch over Tony.”

“Are you sure? We hired a nanny, you could have a weekend to yourself.”

“No, it’s fine really. Gives me something to do.”

“Alright, dismissed. I’ll see you at home.”

Rose nodded and left, head hanging low. Mickey ran into her on her way out. 

“Hey Rose! Weekend off, wanna hit the pub?” 

“No, my parents are going on a trip so I’m gonna look after Tony.”

“Hey, you alright.” He asked stopping her suddenly.

“They shut down my project. For good this time.”

“I’m sorry.”

Rose didn’t reply, just started back toward the door.

“But hey! An even better reason for a drink.” He tried, walking with her. “I’m sure your folks can hire a sitter.”

“Maybe another time.”

“Hey,” Mickey stopped her again, ”You gonna be alright?”

She sighed and gave a slight smile. “I’ll be fine. Go have fun. Have a drink for me.”

“Alright.” Mickey agreed, and they headed out. 

 

****

Rose entered the Tyler mansion with a sigh, staying in the doorway for a second longer when she heard voices coming from the parlor room. 

“Hold on a second, that might be my daughter.” She heard her Jackie say and suddenly Jackie was standing in the hallway with a pale expression.

“You okay?” Rose asked her mum, reaching out for her. 

Jackie looked toward the parlor room and then hurriedly back at Rose. “You remember Oswin? From secondary school?”

Rose felt a chill go up her spine. She hadn’t heard that name in years. They didn’t talk about it much...what with everything that happened. It was painful even now.

“Yeah.” Rose said carefully, imploringly. 

Jackie didn’t say anything more, she just look thoughtfully toward the parlor, and then walked in. Rose followed her, attentively. 

There are two couches in the parlor room. One facing the door, and the other with it’s back to the door. In the middle was a coffee table where Tony stood fiddling with one of his toys. There was a brown haired girl sitting on the couch facing away, and Rose could barely register anything before Jackie said, “Rose, this is Clara Oswald. The nanny Linda suggested.” 

The girl, who realised she was being addressed, whirled around and stood placing a tea cup on the table. “Hey.” she smile politely and gave a small wave. 

Rose stood paralyzed. “Clara.” She said to herself, trying to put a name to a face she once knew by Oswin. There were differences, of course there were. When Rose knew Oswin they were 12, but the resemblance was uncanny. She realized this is what Oswin would have looked like if she had grown up. She was beautiful, and Rose might have cried had she not been so shocked. It had to be Oswin. This universe’s Oswin. The Mickey in this universe had a different name, and both of them were Oswalds. This was an Oswin that lived.

“Nice to meet you, Rose.”Clara said stepping around the couch and extending a hand. “Mrs. Tyler’s said a lot about you. All good things of course” 

Rose stared at it for a second before grabbing it shakely. 

“You alright,” Clara asked, a hand settled lightly on Rose’s shoulder. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Rose was feeling a lot of different emotions right now, but she did not expect to find herself laughing. 

“Sorry, did I miss something.” Clara asked thrown off by the strange behaviour that both Rose and Jackie were assuming, with Rose laughing and Jackie looking more and more uncomfortable and nervous by the second.

“No, no. It’s just been a weird day.” laughed Rose, and suddenly she couldn’t stop smiling. “It’s really good to meet you.” 

Jackie seemed to relax considerably, so Clara took it as a good sign. “Good, I heard you were taking a business trip to America. That’s exciting. I’ve always wanted to go there.”

“Actually, the trip got cancelled. But, please don’t ever go to America.” 

“What?” 

“She just meant it’s dull.” Jackie chidded in. “What do you mean it was cancelled?” She asked turning to Rose. 

“Something came up, I’ve got the weekend off. I thought I’d stay with Tony.” They both looked at Clara.

“It’s fine if you don’t need me. You can always give me call.”

“No!” Rose sputtered suddenly, and both Jackie and Clara stared at her. “I mean, I’m still getting used to taking care of the little guy. I don’t have a lot of experience, so if you can stay and help me that would be great. We’ll still pay you.”

Clara looked at Jackie who just nodded vigorously. 

“Alright, yeah. No problem.” 

“Great.” Rose smiled the brightest smile Clara had ever seen, she blushed slightly, and turned around back toward Tony to go play with him.  
“Rose, honey, are you sure about this?”

“Yeah, why not. Mum it’s her. I’ve got my friend back.”

“I’m just saying, it’s different. Not everyone is the same here. I just don’t want you getting hurt.”

“I know, but…” She looked over to watch Clara making funny voices and waving around one of Tony’s stuffed animals as he giggled uncontrollably. “ I’ve got to give it a chance. I’ve lost too much already. It’s time I got something.”

Jackie gave her a sad smile and sighed. “Alright. I’ve got a bit more to pack, I’ll be down in a bit.”

Rose nodded and watched her mother leave the room before taking a deep breath and walking toward Clara and Tony. 

****

It was different now, because Rose lived in a mansion instead of a run down flat, and they both went different ways in life, and Rose had travelled through time and space, so of course it was different, Rose thought through out the next several hours. 

Tony loved her right away and Rose was amazed at how good Clara was with kids, just like Oswin was able to win the favor of adults. She’s raising money to pay off school debts. She’s studying to become a teacher. 

Rose laughed when Clara told her. “Of course you are.” She said, to which Clara smiled smugly. 

Rose told her about working at Torchwood. She could of course because it was different here. People knew all about aliens, and they were in contact with several. They didn’t have Sci Fi, they lived it. 

So, she told her about her encounters and some of the places she’d been to, and Clara told her about wanting to travel and never being able to. Clara told Rose about her mother who had died and the book she had given her.

Before Rose knew it she was telling Clara about all the places she’d been with the Doctor, although she didn’t specify what year she had been at those places.

Of course she was telling them in silly voices to entertain Tony as well. He giggled and ran around as they tried to reenact Roman warriors fighting off bears. Before long Tony began yawning.

“Hey, you getting tired?” Rose asked Tony, picking him up and rocking him gently.

“You’re not as bad with kids as you made it sound.” Clara observed picking up toys that had been thrown across the room. 

“It’s easier when he’s your brother.” Rose shrugged. “Still not good at the feeding, and changing though.”

It was 8:30 when they got Tony to sleep and settled themselves in with snacks on the couch, just to flip through the channels. 

“How about Eastenders?” Rose teased.

“ Do I look like the kind of person who’d watch crap telly? I’m almost offended.” Clara joked back.

“My friend and I used to put it on just to make fun of the characters.” Rose said, glancing over at Clara subtly, but of course she caught it. 

“Yeah.” 

Rose frowned. Clara had been doing this all night. They would seem to be getting along until Rose said something and would be given a cold response. It was just different, Rose told herself, give it time. 

“Oh, Mansfield Park! You're an english teacher what do you say? My mum loves this movie all the period dresses, and dancing. She always wanted a dress like those. I guess she can get one now.” 

Clara turned to Rose than, facing Rose with her whole body. “You’re not at all like I thought you would be.The daughter of Pete Tyler who owns Vitex and runs Torchwood. I didn’t expect you to be so…”

“Chavy?” Rose suggested.

“Kind.” Clara spoke warmly. “I’ve known snobbier people with a lot less.”

“Well, we didn’t always live like this. I was raised in the estate. We’ve known hard times like anyone else.”

“Now look at you. Fighting the good fight. Protecting the people.”

Rose blushed and looked away. “We all do our best. Like you and teaching. You’re gonna help a lot of kids that way. Growing up is hard, they need people like you in their lives.” She remembered tutoring with Oswin. She had been doing better in English too, until…

“Stop that.” Clara said, her voice suddenly icy. 

“What?” 

“I know there is something else going on here.” She said, eyes set strongly on Rose’s.   
“Sometimes you look at me, and it’s like you're somewhere else completely. So, go on. What is it?”

“I- You remind me of someone I knew a long time ago. Someone I lost.” 

Clara grew a little softer after that. “Listen. I like you, but I’m not going to compete with a ghost.”

“No, of course not.” Rose said a bit surprised. She couldn’t stop looking at the brunette now. She had to take in every bit of this version of her. “You don’t deserve that.”

“Good.” Clara said after a second. 

“I’m sorry.” Rose stammered. “I like you too, Clara.”

Clara smiled at her, a good proper smile and Rose smiled back. Different can be good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In honor of today! Marriage equality in all states!!!


	9. Chapter 9

Rose wasn’t sure how it happened. Well, she remembered exactly what happened and all the events leading up to it, but it for some reason she hadn’t expected it at all. Thinking back at it, Rose would say it was because it happened so fast. Fast and unexpected. Wonderful and tragic. That’s what falling in love with Clara Oswald was like. 

Conversation came easier after their first initial miscommunication, and the two girls became closer and closer. At first it was just excuses. Tony needed looking after, even after Jackie and Pete got back from there cruise. Clara’s apartment really needed to be alien proofed, you know just in case. Rose needed a review on a book that she was definitely planning on reading. Clara was babysitting for a family friend and they would love to hear some of Rose’s stories. Soon anytime they were both off of work they were together. 

It had only been three weeks since they had met each other on the day that their relationship changed. 

It turns out Jackie’s friend Linda was Clara’s stepmother. Rose was surprised to find this out when she accompanied her mother to Linda’s birthday party and ran into Clara holding a tray of different cheeses. 

“Clara?” Rose asked tapping her lightly on the shoulder.  
Clara whirled around surprised, but instantly looked relieved. “Oh thank god.” she said putting down the cheese tray and throwing her arms around the blonde woman. “Hold on. What are you doing here?”

“My mum’s friends with Linda.”

“Really?”

“Well, I say friends. My mum was afraid she would get blacklisted if she didn’t come. You didn’t say she was your step mom.”

“Yeah, I try to forget mostly.”

As if on cue Linda called Clara from the group she was standing in, and pointed to the cheese tray that had been discarded. Clara rolled her eyes and picked up the tray. “I’ll be right back.”

Rose watched Clara walk off to offer cheese to the group Linda was standing in before one of Linda’s friends, whose name Rose didn’t remember, walked up to her.

“You’re Pete and Jackie Tyler’s daughter aren’t you?”

“Rose, yeah.”

“Right. So what are you up to? Living the highlife I presume. Spending the weekends in Rome.” She spoke as if Rose was a spoiled rich girls, with distaste oozing in her tone.

“Actually, I’m Torchwood Agent so I work most weekends.”

“Ah, well I’m sure your father keeps a good eye on you.”

Rose tried very hard not to tell her to bugger off. She just half smiled at her, except it came out more like a grimace. 

“So, is your boyfriend here?”

“No, I don’t have a boyfriend.” She explained, trying to be patient as she looked around for her mom or any other person to get her out of this conversation.

“You're not seeing anyone? I have a nephew who you might be interested in. He is only a few years younger than you.”

“No, I uh actually-”

“So, you are seeing someone? Come on, there has to be someone you spend time with in your free time.”

 

“Rose!” Clara said, popping up behind her. “Could I get your help with something in the kitchen?”

“Yes.” Rose said a little too quickly. “Sure.” She tried again, and threw the lady an apologetic smile. 

“Linda told me you two were inseparable. Always with that Tyler girl, she said.” said the woman raising her eyebrows like she just found out their dirtiest secret. 

“Good bye.” Clara just told her, grabbing Rose’s arm and dragging her to the kitchen.

“Thank you.” Rose said as soon as they were safely away from Linda’s prying friends. “My mum tried to warn me about this group. I didn’t think they’d be so-” Clara raised her eyebrows, “overbearing.” 

“Oh, Rose. You are much too kind on them.” They smiled at each other before she went on. “To bad Tony couldn’t be here to distract us. Who’s got him right now anyway?”

“My dad’s looking after him. Actually, now that I think about it why am I here while he’s there?” Rose asked realizing she had been tricked. 

“I’d rather have you here. Honestly, I can’t stand these people on my own. If it weren’t for my dad I wouldn’t even have shown up.”

“I’m sure your dad wouldn’t notice if you slipped out for a minute or two.”

 

“You want to just leave?” Clara asked, almost shocked at the notion, but smiling widely. 

“I can make it up to my mum, and you’ve spent enough time in this hell.” 

“Where’ll we go?”

“Anywhere but here.”

“I’ve got an idea.” Clara said smirking. She took Rose’s hand and led her toward the garage. “I meant to show you soon anyway.”

Clara pulled a sheet, and threw it over her shoulder revealing a black yamaha virago motorcycle. 

“What. Oh, is this yours?” 

“Yes! It was a family friend’s. They were looking to get rid of it, so I bought it from them for 900 pounds less than what they were asking for.”

“No, way. You, sweet little Clara who works with kids, riding a motorcycle.” 

“Oi, I’m not little.” Clara said hoping on and throwing Rose a helmet. “Come on then.” 

Rose hesitated for a second before following suit, and wrapping her arms around Clara’s waist. The garage door opened and Clara sped out, and onto the street making Rose grip tighter unconsciously which had evidently been part of Clara’s plan. 

“Are you sure you know how to drive this thing?” Rose teased.

“Shut up.” Clara called over her shoulder as the wind whipped around them. 

They didn’t really have a plan of where to go so they went everywhere. They raced down london backstreets, weaved in and out of traffic on main roads, and before they knew it the sky was dark and they had driven to leadworth.They stopped at the small pub that, besides the church, was the only gathering point for the town. 

“Sounds like a lot of people in there.”

“Not much else to do here on a Friday night.”

“I’ve got work tomorrow.”

“Same here.” 

They waited for a second outside the pub. Listening to the sounds of laughter, and watching the lights shift in the windows. Clara looked over at Rose to find her staring up at the stars.

“Do you want to just take a walk. It’s a nice night.” 

“Yeah, sure.” 

I was a nice night. It was clear and the moon was full above them lighting up the fields around them. It was a bit chilly especially after riding over there, and both girls were pulling at their jackets trying to cover more surface. The cold got better when Clara put her arm through Rose’s pulling them closer together. 

“Do you know any of the constellations?” 

“A few, but not from this sky.”

“Hm. Well, I’m pretty sure the north star is around here.” Clara said, circling a place in the sky with her finger that was so wide Rose knew Clara didn’t have a clue what she was talking about. Rose leaned closer to look any way, putting their faces within inches of each other. All it took was a glance in the others direction to make the chill dissipate entirely taking all the air around them with it. At least that’s how Rose felt. 

It was that moment that Rose realized exactly to what degree she cared about Clara, and suddenly she was very scared. So much so, that she wasn’t prepared for the rock that was wedged in her path, and the next thing she knew she was on the ground.

“Oh my stars! Are you alright?” 

Rose just stared at Clara. She was suddenly feeling a lot of different emotions, and surprisingly embarrassment wasn’t even at the top of them. It didn’t help that Clara had stooped down to help her up and was staring at her with concern written all over her face. Rose would have honestly felt better if Clara had been making fun of her, but this was just torture. 

“Yeah. I’m fine, sorry.” 

“Here, why don’t we sit down for a moment?” Clara suggested, gesturing to a stone wall that went along the road they were walking along. 

“Honestly, I’m not injured or anything.”

“I know you just seem a bit...spacey.” Clara said while jumping up to sit on the wall. She extended a hand.

Rose bit her lip and took Clara’s hand, jumping up after her. 

Clara was right as always, of course. She was spacey. Looking at the stars always did that to her, even now. She couldn’t help but get nostalgic after seeing them up close, but then Clara took her arm and suddenly everything was confusing. Mostly, because Rose hadn’t seen at all what was happening.  
She must have felt this way for a while, and for a while she would compare times she’d had with Clara with times she’d shared with the Doctor. Not really consciously, more like a feeling she knew she felt around both of them. A feeling of happiness, hope, and belonging. 

Then Clara had to go and say something that Oswin used to say, and suddenly things became more complicated, because she remembered feeling the same around Oswin. She couldn’t have been in love with Oswin, though. She didn’t even know what love was back then. She wasn’t even sure she knew exactly what it was now. 

And in the midst her feelings and past relationships, there was Clara still holding onto Rose’s hand as they sat under the stars. 

“You know you can tell me anything if you want to. I’m always here for you.”

“I don’t know if you’d believe me if I told you.” 

“Try me.” Clara dared, clearly relaxing after the silence had been broken. “You already work for a government agency that deals with beings from other planets. How crazy could it be?”

Rose looked over at Clara who greeted her with a soft smile. She smiled back and sighed before speaking. 

“It wasn’t always like this. I used to work in a shop.”

Clara nodded. She knew that much.

“The thing is I’m not from here.” Rose said carefully taking in Clara’s expressions. 

“Are you telling me you're an alien?”

Rose laughed. “No. That’s not it. I grew up in London, just not this London. I’m from a parallel London where we didn’t have as advanced technology, and we didn’t have as many blimps.”

Clara just stared at her.

“Like a parallel universe. The same people and places, but with some differences. Different choices lead to different outcomes. My dad died in my universe, but here he was living as a Ceo with my mum. Only they never had kids in this universe, and this universe’s Jackie ended up dying when the cybermen first attacked. Mickey had a double here called Rickey. Crazy I know.” 

Clara didn’t say anything more, just looked out over the dark landscape. Rose could feel fear building in the pit of her stomach, but she went on. 

“While I was working in the shop I met a man called the Doctor. Well, I say man. He came from a planet called Gallifrey, and he had a spaceship that could travel through time and space. He asked me to travel with him, so I did.”

“The Doctor.” Clara echoed. “You mentioned traveling with someone. It’s him isn’t it, the Doctor.”

“Yeah, it was amazing. I saw so many things. Different planets, different creatures, the end of the earth. I even met Charles Dickens and Queen Victoria.”

“Queen Victoria?” 

“Right, different universe. My England had a monarchy.”

Clara seemed confused but didn’t say anything more, so Rose trudged on. 

“Anyway, remember how the cybermen disappeared a few years back?” 

Clara nodded.

“They had broken through to my universe and to get rid of them we had to suck them into a space in between the universes. Only, it closed off the way between universes and we got stuck here while the Doctor’s still on the other side.”

“I’m sorry. I can tell you cared about him.” Clara squeezed the hand she was still holding. 

“Yeah, I loved him.” Rose admitted. She hadn’t talked about him to anyone in a long while. It was strange bringing back up old emotions. It was nice too, like moving on.

“There’s more to it though.” Rose looked into Clara’s deep brown eyes shining in the moonlight. “Back in my old universe, when I was in secondary school, I knew this girl. She tutored me in english, and we were really close. Her name was Oswin, Oswin Oswald.”

Clara looking searchingly into the blondes eyes. “Oswin is my parallel?”

“I think so.”

They stayed silent for a moment longer than Rose was comfortable with.

“Do you believe me?”

“Yeah, surprisingly I do… Is she the girl I reminded you of? When we first met? The one you lost?”

“She-she died. Two months after I met her. She went to California for the holidays and never came back.” 

“Rose…”

“I know, I’m not being fair. I know she wasn’t you. It’s just...you're just like her. You look like her. I know, it was such a long time ago.” 

Clara gently cupped Rose turning her to look back at her. Rose was close to crying, but Clara just looked at her with the softest smile and Rose couldn’t help but smile back. Rose looked down at their still entwined hands and ran her thumb along the surface of Clara’s hand which was noticeably smaller. She laughed softly at the sight and turned back to Clara who wasn’t smiling any more. 

She was close, running a thumb across Rose’s cheek, softly touching the end of her lips. Slowly, she leaned in and with a softness that Rose had never known before, Clara kissed her. Timidly, carefully, and full of understanding. Rose felt like she was flying as she snaked her arms around Clara’s waist. Clara felt like she had finally found solid ground as she wrapped her arms around Rose’s neck. 

What neither girl knew, was that all they had to do was look up to see the north star flicker out of existence.


	10. Chapter 10

Once the scientists at Torchwood found out the stars were going out, every department was pulled from their duties to figure out what was going on. About a week later no one was closer to a solution. It was by complete accident that Rose figured it out.

Agents weren’t usually involved in the sciencey side of things, and most of them were just biding their time until they could go on missions again. One day Rose decided to spend her time moving her Dimension Cannon papers and the dimension hopping devices to the Torchwood archives,but when she found it there was a light blinking on one side of one of the machines. Curious, she walked over and flipped a switch turning on the system. There wasn’t much she could see at first, until the words ‘Bad Wolf’ splayed across the screen. 

As soon as she realized it was actually working, she ran to tell everyone. It took a few minutes to figure out the walls of the universe were breaking down, and suddenly Rose's dimension cannon was back in business.

Now that they could pass through dimensions they had to figure out a way to do it safely without shattering the fabric of reality. 

One of the scientists figured out a way they could go at least a little safer was to latch onto the timeline of someone who had been to said universe. Namely, Rose. 

Coinsidently, they could also use this feature to find the one man who had to be involved. Namely, the Doctor. 

Using timelines to travel was a bit safer, although they still had to wait a half an hour between jumps and the only people who were able to travel back were people who were originally from said universe.

“Before we do any jumping, we are going to see if we can patch through to the Doctor first” Pete told the group of agents and scientists that had gathered in the room along with Jackie, Tony, and Clara. If Rose was going to go jumping through universes, Jackie and Clara were going to be there. 

 

“How do we even know, this has to do with the stars going out?” Mickey asked from the back of the room. “It’s happening here not over there.”

“As you know, the Dimension Cannon can measure timelines, we traced whatever is happening here and found it started over there.” Pete explained. “Any more questions?” 

Rose stood up and addressed the room. “If anyone finds Bad Wolf anywhere, follow it. It’ll lead to the Doctor.” 

“Alright, lets get to work.” 

The scientist scattered to their positions, but Rose walked over to Jackie and Clara.

“Are you sure about this, love? Will it work?” Jackie asked concerned. 

“It’s got to. More stars are going out everyday. The sky is darkening, and if we don’t do something we could be taken out the same way.”

“Just be careful.” Jackie advised. Tony started fussing so she left room, and left Clara and Rose to themselves. They stayed silent for a minute as Clara avoided Rose’s gaze. 

“Hey, you alright?” Rose asked tilting her head to catch Clara’s eyes, and touching her arm lightly.

“Yeah,” said Clara shaking her head, “it’s just a lot.”

“We think we’ve got something!” Announced a scientist, drawing in everyone’s attention, and sending everyone running toward the screens. Pete got people to back off of Rose’s screen to allow her to speak to the Doctor, but Clara stayed at her right side just out of shot of the screen, gripping the table the equipment was set up on in front of them. There was nothing but static for a few minutes with blips of color here and there until finally there was picture. 

It was a place Rose did not recognise, but there in the middle of the screen was the unmistakable back of the Doctor’s head. Rose’s heart fluttered, as she called for his attention, almost yelling his name. She called him for him twice before the picture was gone.

“What happened? Can we get him back?” Rose asked desperately. 

“Hold on, it might be a few more minutes.” Said a scientist to Rose’s left. Rose joined the scientist to figure it out, and didn’t see Clara stomp away. She was just about to reach the door when she ran into Jackie holding Tony.

“You alright, love?” 

“I think I should go.” 

“This place has a canteen. Why don’t we take break, get a spot of tea? How does that sound?”

Clara sighed and nodded. Three minutes later they were sitting, paper cups in hands, in an empty break room. Tony had fallen asleep in his chair, so the room was quiet for a while which was much appreciated by the two woman sitting across each other on a round table. 

"It's a lot to take in, I know." Jackie said quietly. 

"I know it's important, and I want to help anyway I can, but- well, what can I do?"

"It's difficult. Sometimes all you can do is be there for the people who live in this world, and really that's more than enough."

"I'm just worried. She could get hurt. She could be dying, and there would be nothing I could do. She might not come back. She'll want to stay there. She loved him, she might stay with him. I can't just sit around and be back up for someone else if things don't work out."

"I'm not going to tell you to hang around, because I know how it feels to be left behind, and she's always come back to me. I'll tell you this, though. She cares about you deeply. She talks about you all the time, and the way she looks at you. Like your the best thing about this universe."

Clara couldn't help but smile at Jackie's words.

"Have you talked to her about it?" Jackie asked, back on topic.

"No, I don't think she's even thought about the possibility of choosing."

"That's Rose for you. Always expecting things to turn out the way she likes it, and she makes sure they do." 

"Right! Its like she wills things to go her way." 

They laughed together for a minute, lightening the mood in the room.

Clara groaned, and put her head on the table. "I've fallen in love with the most complicated girl in the universe." 

Jackie just laughed and patted Clara's head. Then Mickey came running into the room.

"They're starting the jumps!" He exclaimed, breathing roughly. 

The three of them hurried out of the room waking up Tony with all the commotion who started fussing in his chair. Rose was pacing nervously, and immediately walked over to them when she saw them enter. Jackie hung back a bit to try to calm Tony down, which left Rose with Clara. 

"Oh, good. I was afraid we were going to start without you guys." Said Rose, nervously sticking her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. 

"You're hopping dimensions in that? You don't get a special suit or something?"

Rose laughed. She was wearing jeans and a blue leather jacket with a plum color shirt underneath. The only thing that pegged her as a Torchwood agent was the device on her wrist.

"Crossing universes is not formal affair, no." Rose quipped, smiling wide with her tongue in her teeth, which made Clara's insides flip. 

"It'll probably take a few jumps to find the Doctor so I'll be in and out of here a few times. Mickey is keeping contact with me through his headset, and he promised to keep you in the know." Rose explained, getting down to business. 

Clara nodded and looked away. Rose took Clara’s hands in her own. “Thank you, for being here. It’s hard for me to go knowing you’re here, but everything will turn out fine. We’ve got top scientists working on this to make sure I get back alright.” 

Clara smiled wide showing off dimples, which made Rose’s heart pick up a beat. Rose couldn’t help, but imagine the three of them in the TARDIS. Clara would love the Doctor and he would be able to take her to all the wonderful places she always wanted to travel to, and more. She imagined the same dimpled grin as they stepped onto a brand new planet. Rose didn’t tell Clara any of this, of course. There was still a lot of work to be done and a universe to save. 

Instead, she brought Clara closer and kissed her. Quickly, because they were in the middle of a laboratory filled with co-workers who were going to shoot her into another dimension, but with passion and the promise of reuniting. Reluctantly, they parted, and Rose went to hug her family before final departure. 

****

To start, Rose stood on a platform on one side of the room that was kind of like a runway, while scientists did final calculations on their computers. 

“The Doctor is always on the move so it’s going to be a bit difficult to track him down. This first place has Bad Wolf written all over it though, so we might be in luck.” Mickey told Rose from his terminal next to the platform.Rose nodded and they began countdown. 

3\. Switches were flipped from the terminal. 2. Rose began running from one end of the platform to the other. 1. There was a flash of blue light, and Rose was gone before she got to the other end of the platform. 

Rose then promptly ran into a wall, and fell to the floor with the impact.

-Rose, you alright? What happened?- Mickey blared from the device on Rose’s wrist. 

She took a second to gather her bearings before answering him. She was in a small room, about the size of a cupboard. There was a mirror hanging on one of the walls and bench leaned up against the other. Instead of a door, there was a curtain hanging from a rod. 

“I’m in a shop.” Rose exclaimed, still a bit dazed.

-A shop?- Mickey asked, equally confused.

“I’m in a dressing room, I’ve just run into a wall.” She said, a bit annoyed. She drew back the curtain and started laughing. “Mickey, it’s Henricks! I’m in the Henricks!”

-Sorry about that. They promised to check for clearer areas next time.- Mickey explained, but Rose was still laughing.

“It worked.” She smiled and twirled around. “It actually worked!” 

-Rose, we need to find the Doctor. We don’t have a lot of time before the cannon will pull you back.- Mickey reminded her.

“Right, sorry.” Rose said, running outside, but she smiled anyway.

-Yes! She’s fine! Honestly, Rose, your girlfriend is a handful. OW!- 

Rose laughed and imagined Clara and Mickey on the otherside. Right, save the universe. She walked through the streets, not really having any idea where the Doctor might be. She stopped outside a computer shop, and looked around feeling pretty silly now. Honestly, what had she expected? She would land right in front of the Doctor leaning up against his TARDIS with tea and biscuits in hand?

She walked into the store and got on one of the computers. If she could find trouble, she could find the Doctor, right? She couldn’t find anything on the news sites, but she did find out she was a year behind the time it should have been. That’s the trouble with travelling on timelines. You could go back into the past or far into the future. It was fine now, but she would have to tell them to be more careful.

Maybe she could try hacking into UNIT and find something. There were a few other customers roaming about the store and checking out computers, so she hoped she wouldn’t be approached by anyone. Still she checked over her shoulder ever few seconds, which made her find someone she did not expect to see. 

She gasped, turned around quickly. It couldn’t be. It wasn’t possible. 

“Mickey, are you sure this is the right universe?” 

-Yeah, looks like it.-

Rose gulped, and kept her voice low. “Are you absolutely sure?”

-Why? What’s wrong?-

“Clara is here.”

-Clara?-

“Yes,” Rose turned around for a second to take a better look, and there she was. With the same wide eyes, and upturned nose as her Clara. Hell, they even had the same haircut. Rose turned back around quickly and whispered into the communicator on her wrist. “Yes, it’s definitely her.”

There was a rustling noise coming from Mickey’s end. -No, you can’t! You don’t have clearance. OW!- 

\- Rose! Are you alright? What’s wrong?- It was Clara.

Rose smiled to herself. “Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry, can I talk to Mickey?”

More rustling on the other side. -Yeah that’s right. Verified Torchwood agent. OW! Are you serious!-

“Mickey, focus. It’s Clara, but she can’t be. She was Oswin here, and she died.”

-I think you need to focus. Our mission is to find the Doctor. They may be related or something.-

Rose turned around again to get back to hacking, but Clara was standing right across from her. Eyebrows furrowed, trying to figure out the computer in front of her. 

-What if it’s Oswin…- said Mickey quietly from the other side. An after thought he hadn’t meant to speak aloud.

“What?”

-I mean, we never really found out what happened…-

They were silent for a minute, and Rose turned around again. If it was Oswin, this was not a good time to be caught up in a complicated reunion. She was just debating leaving when someone tapped on her shoulder. 

 

“Excuse me, do you work here?” It was Oswin, or Clara, or someone. “I’m not very good with this tech stuff.”

To be fair, Rose was wearing a blue jacket similar to the blue on the worker’s shirts. “No, I don’t work here, sorry” 

“Oh, well do you think you can help me out anyway? I really am lost at this.” 

Of all the impractical and strange things that have happened to Rose, this was probably the strangest. Running into her parallel girlfriend, who may or may not be her (supposedly dead) friend from secondary school, while trying to find her old boyfriend (if you can even call the Doctor that), and being asked for technical advice. Probably, the strangest part of it all though, was what Rose did next. 

“Sorry. I’m in a bit of a hurry, but here,” Rose grabbed a flyer from the front counter and a pen. “If you ever need any help with anything, call this number. Best helpline in the entire universe.”

She wrote down the Doctor’s number, and without really thinking it through, she handed it to the person who may or may not be Clara, and walked out. 

Whoever, that woman was. Oswin who did not recognise her, or a parallel Clara, maybe they would find the Doctor in the future and have fantastic adventures. Evidently, this also gave her the idea to do something she probably should have thought to do first. Call the TARDIS.

“Excuse me, can I borrow your phone?” Rose asked the woman nearest her. The woman turned around and suddenly Rose was nervous she had asked the wrong person. The woman was dressed in old victorian clothes, very Mary Poppins esc. She could be going to a fancy dress party, but the way Rose’s odds were, she was probably a nutter. The woman seemed just as surprised as Rose, and a wicked grin drew across her face. Rose couldn’t tell what the woman was thinking. Her face was twisted into… something. Surprise? Excitement? Plotting? 

“Nevermind. I’ll use a pay phone.” Rose said, and tried scurrying off, but the woman grabbed her arm. Rose was assessing how best to fight this woman when she said something Rose didn’t expect. 

“Were you talking to that girl in there? " The woman asked.

"Why do you know her?" Rose said, probably more defensive than she should be, but she didn't want this crazy woman asking about Clara either. 

" Actually, I was hoping to get her number. "

"Sorry, she's already taken." And with that, Rose pulled out of the woman's grasp and ran off. She hoped that would keep the woman off Clara's tail, but she had a job to do, and she needed to go now if she wanted to accomplish it in time. 

She ran up to a pay phone and was about to type in the number when she heard an electric humming sound and screaming. She looked up and found a gigantic spaceship floating over head a few miles away. Well, that has got to be the Doctor, she thought and ran off after it. Of course the spaceship was faster and growing ever farther away, and it didn’t help that she had to push past crowds lining up the streets.She was mostly focused on following the spaceship, but she did hear someone say something about walking fat. 

The spaceship was already leaving by the time she got to where it had stopped. When she finally made it to the building, the spaceship was gone and she doubled over trying to breath.  
Once her breath had slowed down she tried to get closer, but police had blocked off the whole street. 

-Rose, did you find him? There are only a few minutes left.-

“He was here.”

-It’s fine. We’ll get it on the next one.-

“Right.” Rose leaned against the fence police had put up and stared out at the seen. There were still people gathered all around. A few of them seem really shaken up. 

“Listen,” said a voice behind Rose, making her turn around. A redheaded woman ran up to her, “there’s this woman that’s going to come along. A tall, blonde woman called Sylvia. Tell her, ‘that bin there.’ Alright? It will make sense. ‘That bin there.’” Then smiling she ran off. 

Rose would be gone before than probably, but the woman was already halfway down the street. She turned back around to look at the building one more time before walking off away from the crowd. They were already shaken up by the spaceship, they would freak at seeing her disappear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR MESSAGES!! SERIOUSLY I LOVE YOU ALL!! So lots of things happening. I just really wanted Rose to be the one to give Clara the Doctor's number. Everything else from death in heaven is true in this story.


	11. Chapter 11

Before Rose's next jump, they decided to try to contact the Doctor by singling onto the TARDIS. The room was once again filled with anxiety and scurrying scientists as the screen crackled with static. Clara was forced to leave the room because of her outburst with the communicator, so Mickey took her place by Rose's side. 

"Hijacking TARDIS transmission is extremely difficult, so you'll most likely only get a couple of seconds. At least this will allow us to lock on the TARDIS for the next jump." Mickey explained, preparing Rose. 

"When did you become an expert in all this?" Rose teased, thinking back to the days of hair pulling and getting hit with footballs. 

"I don't waste my time fooling around with nannies." He joked back. He then quickly looked over his shoulder as if Clara might pop out of somewhere and hit him. "Don't tell her I said that."

Rose just laughed.

There was a blip on the screen and everyone's attention was drawn back to the task at hand. 

"Doctor?" Rose tried as soon as she saw the image of the TARDIS breaking through. It was definitely the same coral TARDIS Rose had traveled on, but no Doctor in sight. Instead, the was a red headed woman looking searchingly at the screen. The connection broke, and once again the screen was filled with static. 

"Who is she?" Rose asked, but everyone had gone off to prepare for the next jump.

"Who is who?" Clara asked from behind Rose. "What did I miss?"

"There was a woman on the TARDIS. No Doctor, though."

"Hmm." Clara said raising an eyebrow.

"I mean I knew he had people before me, but..." Clara had a look on her face that was either coming on anger or sadness. Either way her eyes got bigger, and Rose couldn't have that. "They let you back in?"

"Yeah. I just got a stern talking to from your father. It's kind of funny watching him go all 'Director of Torchwood' mode. Especially since I know he swims in a speedo."

They laughed, and Rose contemplated how she ever did anything without Clara around. At least the Doctor wasn't alone, and that was the main thing, wasn't it?

The next jump started and Clara was ushered to the back of the room as Rose got back on the platform. The process started over and at the end of 3 2 1, Rose was flashed into another universe.

At least this time she didn't hit anything. She found herself in a dark alleyway. The only light was a faded blue that Rose recognized. She held her breath and turned. There, shining dimly in the dark, was the blue police box Rose had once called home.

"I found it Mickey! It's the TARDIS!" Rose shouted excitedly into the communicator. All she got back was static, and she might have been afraid if she wasn't so excited. She practically ripped the chain off around her neck that held the key to the universe. She slid it in gently, growing giddier when she heard the final click.

As she walked up the ramp all the giddiness in her melted. Something seemed off. The lights were dimmed, and the TARDIS wasn't making its usual noises. There was a shirt thrown hazardously over one of the railings and it took her a second to realize it was one of her own. She didn't touch it. She went straight to the control panel and ran her hand through the dials as she made her way around to the screen. The TARDIS emitted an eerie tolling sound that reminded Rose of funeral bells. 

"What's wrong? Where is he?" 

The terminal blipped to life highlighting a street a few blocks from where they were.

"Is that where he is?" The TARDIS let out a faint hum. This could not be good. 

She left immediately, locking the TARDIS carefully behind her. When she spotted the ambulances she started running. It can't be.

They ambulances were already packed up and leaving when she got there so she asked the first person she ran into, “What happened? What did they find? Sorry, did they find someone?”

“I don’t know. Bloke called the Doctor or something” A woman explained. 

“Where is he?”

“They took him away. He’s dead.” Rose looked away. No. No way he can’t be. After all this. “I’m sorry. Did you know him? I mean they didn’t say his name. It could be any doctor.”

“I came so far.” But it couldn’t be. He would regenerate. He could still regenerate. 

“It could be anyone.” Rose felt the woman touch her arm and whizzed around on the woman and looked at her suddenly realizing something. Rose had seen this woman before. Red hair. The woman in the TARDIS had red hair. Rose had seen her for only a second, but she looked like the same woman. 

It was more than that though. Rose had heard her voice before. That’s when she realized it was from the first time she jumped. This was the woman who talking about the bins. Even if she wasn’t the woman on the TARDIS, which Rose was almost certain she was, no way Rose would have run into her twice if she didn’t have something to do with the Doctor.

As Rose looked at her, she knew it must be true. There was something...off, about the red headed woman. Rose couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

“What’s your name?”

“Donna, and you?” 

“Oh, I was just passing by..” Rose knew better than to give her name, but she was distracted by Donna. There was something about her that Rose needed to figure out. “ I shouldn’t even be here. This is wrong.” That’s when she noticed it. Like there was something over Donna’s shoulder that she couldn’t see. “This is wrong. This is so wrong.” Rose tried to look away but she couldn’t. Like she might see it if she looked a bit longer, a bit harder. “Sorry, what was it. Donna what?”

“Why do you keep looking at my back?”

“I’m not.” Rose said looking away quickly, but finding her eyes drift back to it.

“Yes, you are. You keep looking behind me. You’re doing it now.” Donna seemed offended and angry, but Rose saw something else there to. Fear. An unknown fear. Deep down Donna must know something is off. But how deep? “What is it? What’s there? Did someone put something-”

Rose didn’t hear the rest of that sentence as she faded out, and was pulled back into Pete’s world.

“What happened?” Rose asked. There were a lot more questions she had, but she was still dazed from being pulled back without a warning. 

“There’s something wrong.” Mickey said from a terminal and motioning for her to come over. “We shot you into another universe.”

“Wasn’t that the whole point?”

“No, we shot you into a different parallel universe. The wrong one.”

“One where... but the Doctor didn’t actually....”

“Yeah, but it’s weird. It’s like- It looks like the same universe but it can’t be.”

“I couldn’t contact you guys while I was over there.”

“Yeah that’s a whole different problem. Hang on.” Mickey input some final calculations and pressed enter. “It’s the same universe as before, but something changed the timeline.”

Rose looked at the screen. There was a small red spot on the timeline which quickly descended into chaos. If Rose thought the Doctor’s death was bad, it was not compared to what came after. 

A red spot. 

“Mickey there was a woman I met there called Donna. I didn’t get a last name, but she was the red headed woman on the TARDIS, and I ran into her the last time I jumped.” 

“Rose the Doctor is dead in this universe. We have bigger things to figure out than the woman on the TARDIS.”

“No, listen. There was something off about her, and if she was with the Doctor she might be part of something.”

Mickey looked at her for a second taking in her determined expression. “Fine.” 

“Thanks, Mick.” Rose said smiling at her victory, and ability to still make him do things for her. 

“Yeah, yeah. You ran into her twice right.”

“Yeah.”

Mickey started typing and scrolling. After a few minutes, when Rose was looking toward the door and wondering if she should go get them coffee, he stopped. “Woah.”

“What?” Rose asked scrambling to his side. On the terminal there were a few lines all converging into a red spot. 

“Is that Donna?”

“Yeah. Donna Noble.”

****

Please, please, please, please, please. After all this time. After all the jumping, helping Donna reboot the universe to save the Doctor, finding Donna's family, and now the death of Harriet Jones... Please let this work. 

Funny how the fate of the universe rested on a phone call, Rose mused for a second before the fourth panel that used to be the former prime minister blipped to life and the confused faces of Donna and the Doctor filled the small space on the screen. It was him. The Doctor, Rose's Doctor, alive and well. Victory and joy flooded through her. Everyone on the subwave began talking at once.

“Where the hell have you been?” Jack screamed, “Doctor it’s the Daleks!”

“It’s the Daleks. Their taking people to their spaceship!” Sarah Jane yelled.

“That’s Donna!” Cried Sylvia

“That’s my girl!” Called Wilf.

“Sarah Jane! Who’s that boy? That must be Torchwood. Aren’t they brilliant? Look at you all, you clever people!” THe Doctor was ecstatic, but Rose grew solemn realising he still couldn’t see or hear her. 

“Doctor, it’s me. I came back.” She said to herself.

“It’s like an outer space Facebook.” Donna joked.

“Everyone except Rose.” 

It seemed for a moment that no matter what Rose did she would never reach the Doctor, no matter how close she got. It didn’t help that the screen turned to static a seconds later.

Well, forget that. Rose got this close and there was no way she was going to give up now. The Doctor was facing an old enemy that was threatening both of her universes, so now it was time to fight. She grabbed her gun and called Mickey.

“Control. I need another shift. Lock me onto the TARDIS. Now.” She hung up before they could say anything else. “Right, I’m gonna find him. Wish me luck.” She addressed the Nobles smiling widely. This was it.  
“Oh, good luck.”  
“Yeah, good luck, sweetheart.” 

A flash of blue and Rose was gone. She expected to be in a street or on a sidewalk, but instead she was back facing the white walls of the control room in alternate Torchwood. There weren’t as many scientists in the room as there were before. Mickey wasn’t even in the room, just Clara standing by the platform with an expression that was a mixture of relief and nervousness. 

“What happened where is everyone?” Rose asked stepping off the platform and hugging her girlfriend. 

“Something came up while you were out.” Clara replied still hugging Rose.

“I was so close, Clara. The Daleks are wreaking havoc over there they moved the earth and everything. What could be more important?”

“It’s something big, Rose. Pete said he’d catch you up.”

“Pete?” 

“Yeah, he said I could call him that.” Rose pulled back to see Clara’s smug smile. 

“What have you been up to while I was gone?” Rose said before kissing her softly on the cheek. 

“Just wait. I’ll be a Torchwood agent by the end of the day.” Clara said smiling despite the world falling apart around them. “Come on.” She said taking Rose’s hand and leading her out of the room. 

Clara lead her to a counsel room, filled with all of Torchwood's top executives, sitting around a long table. There was a big screen on the wall that had all the dignitaries of the world present, like Harriet Jones subwave network except with more prestige. 

“Are we even allowed to be in here?” Rose whispered, as they entered. 

“That’s how I know it’s bad. Nobody has asked if I have clearance.” Clara whispered back. 

“If these whatever are coming for us than we should take every measure to defend ourselves.” Said the US President,  
Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"Time Lords. They're called Time Lords." Corrected Harriet Jones the President of Great Britain.

"Time Lords?" Rose asked, taken back. The whole room turned towards her and Pete hurried out of his seat towards her.

"Is this your Time Lord expert, Director Tyler?" Harriet Jones asked.

"Yes, this is Torchwood Agent, Rose Tyler." Pete introduced to the dignitaries, pushing Rose closer to the terminals. Rose waved politely, still trying to take everything in. Most of the dignitaries nodded.

"Harriet Jones, UK President." Introduced Harriet Jones.

"Yes, I know who you are." Rose smiled.

"Director, isn't this your daughter?" Harriet asked, doubtfully.

Rose stopped smiling. "Yeah, and I just watched you die in another universe." Rose mumbled.

"What was that?" 

"Not important." Pete cut in, throwing Rose a glare. "She as the most experience with Time Lords in the entire universe."

"What's going on?" Rose asked folding her arms. 

"The Shadow Proclamation contacted us while you were on your mission. They told us to shut down the Dimension Cannon or they would blow up the Earth."

"Yeah, they always threaten us like that. What does that have to do with Time Lords?"

"They found a couple survivors from the planets that are being destroyed. The Daleks weren't the ones invading, they said it was a group who called them selves Time Lords."

"The witnesses said they overheard a plan to come to Earth." Harriet Jones cut in. "We need to know everything we can to defend ourselves."

"The Judoon think they may be attracted to the Earth because of what we have been doing with the Dimension Cannon. They think it's the reason the Time Lords are attacking, and they want us to join them in ending this." Pete told her compassion slipping into his voice at the end. 

Rose didn't know what to think. Daleks made sense, but Time Lords? The Doctor was supposed to be the last, and they hadn't heard of any Time Lords or Daleks in this universe. She would know, she looked. 

Rose felt a hand slip into hers. Clara stood next to her with a determined look on her face. "Everyone is in prep. Getting everything ready to fight." Clara told her, and squeezed her hand. That was all the strength Rose needed.

"Okay. It's not going to be easy. They are every bit as much technologically advanced as the Daleks, if not more." She addressed the room. "And they have this thing they can do called, regeneration."

****

The Doctor and Donna stepped out of the TARDIS and into the empty street.

“Like a ghost town…” Donna commented.

“Sarah Jane said they were taking the people, but what for? Think, Donna. When you met Rose in that parallel world, what did she say?

“Just, ‘The darkness is coming.’”

“Anything else?”

Donna sighed and looked around. “No, sorry.”

The Doctor looked down the street for a clue or anything really that could help them. They had finally made it to Earth and they had had very little on what was actually happening. 

Rose would know. And where was Rose? She was in Donna’s alternate universe, and if the walls really were breaking down she could hop over and help them more than just sending vague messages.

Who was he kidding. The Doctor wasn’t mad at Rose. He didn’t think he could ever be. He just thought he might see her again. So he could tell her…

It didn’t matter now. “Alright,” the Doctor said moving down the street, “Allons-y.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm back! I am so sorry for the long break. This chapter is kinda long so I hope it makes up for it. I am going to try posting more often, like once a week so we will see how that goes. Also, if anyone wanted to check out my tumblr or message me on there and remind me to write (cause I am literally always on there), I am http://much-adoabouteverything.tumblr.com/


	12. Chapter 12

2015

“You know where Gallifrey is?”

The Doctor sounded guarded and skeptical, but Clara could still see hope spark in his eyes. He was afraid of getting hurt, of being let down by yet another person, but Clara wasn’t going to let that happen to her best friend. Not again. 

“As important as that is, we should probably make sure we are safe from the Daleks first. There is a lot to talk about and not a lot of time to do it right now.” Clara tried.

The Doctor just stared at her for a second. He knew she was right of course and walked back to the console. He didn’t say a word, but threw a quick glance at Rose who gripped the strap of her bag. Clara locked eyes with Rose as she walked over to the Doctor’s side and motioned her to join them with her head. Rose timidly joined them in front of the terminal.

“How are they following us?”Rose asked from the Doctor’s side making them jump slightly. 

“It’s my fault. I put the defenses down, and they were able to track us. I can put them back up, but I would have to reroute power and it would take more time than we have.”

“How much time do we have?” Rose asked the Doctor.

“About three minutes.” He answered her. 

“I can distract the Daleks.”

The Doctor looked at her doubtfully. “How do you plan on doing that?”

“With this.” She replied, slinging her bag into her arms and giving it a light pat. “But we can’t let the Daleks get hold of this stuff so you better hurry.”

Rose began heading out the door while Clara and the Doctor shared a look, before the Doctor turned back to work on the console.

“I’ll come with you.” Clara started, making both Rose and the Doctor stop in their tracks and look at her. Clara looked between them noticing how against the idea they both were. “What? You could use help, and there is really no time to argue, so let's go.” 

Clara started out the door, and Rose threw the Doctor a concerned look, but he just shrugged before turning back to the console. Rose sighed and followed Clara out the door. 

They were in some sort of ravine, Clara thought must be in a desert somewhere. There was nothing but dirt and tumbleweeds down the different pathways surrounded by cliffs. 

“Alright, what do we do?” Clara asked. 

Rose put her bag on the ground and opened it part way revealing some sort of machine Clara thought looked like a computer box. Rose switched it on and pulled out a yellow disk with a chain looped around it which she handed it to Clara.

“Don’t lose that, and don’t press it. Seriously, you’ll rip a hole in time and space.” She told Clara before pulling one out for herself and swinging her bag back over her shoulder.

“What do I do with it?” Clara asked, pulling the chain over her head and following after Rose who started walking in the opposite direction of the TARDIS.

“Get as far away as possible in two minutes.” Rose explained over her shoulder and then took off running down a corridor of the ravine. Surprised, Clara ran after her and caught up with her rather quickly.

“So, you’re Rose. Rose Tyler, right.” Clara asked between breaths. 

“You know me?”

“I saw your UNIT file.” Rose didn’t answer to that, so Clara tried again. “Which Doctor did you travel with?”

Rose seemed taken back by the question, but smiled all the same. “Big ears, leather jacket, and then thin, pinstripes, great hair.” 

“oh, I met that one. Well, technically I’ve met all of them. Long story.”

Rose glanced at Clara, the kind of look the Doctor used to give her. Like she was trying to figure her out.

Clara suddenly had a sense of deja vu. She had seen this expression before, years ago, and not just on the Doctor. “Hold on, you seem familiar.”

Rose looked away. They were both breathing harder now. “You said you met Bad Wolf.”

“No, it’s more than that.” Clara said breathily, trying to find the memory that was just below the surface, yet somehow unreachable. Than it hit her. “You’re the woman. The woman in the shop. You gave me the Doctor’s number!” 

Just then a Dalek ship appeared above them. Making them both stop in their tracks. 

“Split up.” Rose said, sounding like someone from UNIT, and running down an opposite corridor in the ravine. Clara started back down the row they were already headed, right before the the Daleks started shooting. This wasn’t the first time Clara had been shot at while running and she started running in a zigzag motion. 

The shots got less and less and Clara realized this was because the Daleks had followed Rose. Clara had to do something. She didn’t come out here with Rose just to let her get get picked off by the Daleks.

She darted down a row towards where she thought Rose might be, looking for signs of Dalek ship in the sky. She didn’t notice the rock in her path and tripped. Falling, not at all gracefully, directly onto the disk 

The ravine disappeared around her, and the once dark night sky turned red above her. Her hands and knees were scraped, but the charred street she now found herself on was in much worse damage. The only cars on the road were ones that had rammed into buildings and had been left. The buildings around her were missing chunks everywhere. Clara took in her surroundings as she got up slowly. Horror suddenly struck through her. Even in all the wreckage Clara could tell she was standing in the streets of London. 

Suddenly, Clara was surrounded by light, blinding her. She felt a hand grab her, pulling her out and back to her senses. 

“Run!” Rose said, pulling Clara down an alleyway. Clara looked back to find a Dalek ship hovering behind them, a searchlight beaming right on their tails. 

“Press the button.” Rose instructed, and Clara didn’t hesitate for a second. She appeared back in the ravine and had to halt to avoid hitting one of it’s walls. She had transported into a dead end.

Rose appeared seconds later, immediately grabbing the disk off Clara. “That’s enough of these.”

“That was London.” Clara panted, trying to catch her breath.

“A parallel London, yeah. Didn’t I say not to press?”

“I fell.” Clara explained, examining her scraped hands. Rose took one of Clara’s hands gently in hers, examining the raw flash with tender eyes. Clara’s heart fluttered in her chest as she stared at Rose in awe. Who was this woman? Rose Tyler, who made Clara feel enchanted and nostalgic all in one go.

Rose looked up and caught Clara’s eyes. “Why did you give me the Doctor’s number?”

Pain and sorrow flashed through Rose’s eyes. It was the same look Clara saw on the Doctor sometimes when he thought she wasn’t looking. The pain of loss.

“I wanted you to have each other.”

The wind rushed around them, and they both looked up to find the Dalek ship hovering towards them. Rose stepped in front of Clara, still holding onto Clara’s hand with one of her own and clutching the disks to her chest with the other. Clara didn’t really have time to react before they heard the swooshing of the TARDIS materializing around them. For a second they watched as Dalek fire disintegrated around them before the interior of the TARDIS formed properly. 

Clara looked at Rose expecting to see the serious demeanor from seconds ago, but instead she was smiling bright and beautiful. 

“I’ve missed this.” Rose turned on Clara suddenly and Clara thought she might be blinded by the light radiating off of Rose.

Rose let go of Clara’s hand and practically skipped up to the console. The Doctor looked less amused as he flipped switches sending them off into the time vortex. 

“So, you found us then.” Clara tried, treading lightly in the unknown territory of the Doctor’s mood. 

“It’s not difficult when you punch holes in the fabric of reality. What the hell were you doing?”

Rose held out a yellow disk to the Doctor. “Remember these?”

“Yeah, and I remember specifically describing the catastrophic consequences of using them. And what? You decided to have a quick pop in with your mother for tea?” 

Rose’s face fell and Clara decided to intervene before the Doctor got himself slapped again. “I fell.” She spoke up turning their attention towards her. “Activated it accidentally.” 

“Besides, these have been revamped since you last saw them. Much safer as long as you wait half an hour in between jumps.” She tossed him one.

He swiftly caught it and began to scan it with his sonic. “There wasn’t a wait this time.”

“I had to get Clara safe.”

“Safely into the Daleks shooting range.” The Doctor remarked offhandedly as he examined the dimension hopping disk further. 

“Better than the alternative.” Rose said, drawing back the Doctor’s attention. 

“Those were Daleks in London. I mean those were Dalek ships.” 

“Dalek ships yes, but not Daleks.” Rose said not looking away from the Doctor for a second.

“Timelords.” 

He said it like he knew, but didn’t want to believe. Rose nodded, and the Doctor looked back at her with tired eyes. 

“I think it’s time for explanations.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh god. Okay. Thank you so much for all your kind messages guys seriously it means everything in the world to me. New Doctor who today so new chapter. I am going to be emotionally wrecked by this season, but not enough to stop writing. I got a lot of ideas and stuff for whats to come. Again thanks for reading this guys, even though it takes forever for me to write and post I hope I make it worth it for you all. A lot is happening right now. Okay, okay I'm done.


	13. Chapter 13

The three TARDIS occupants heard the final woosh before the console stopped moving and the cloister bell signaled their landing. The Doctor walked out without a word. Rose and Clara shared a confused look before following him out. Clara stepped out to find herself in her flat. It was raining outside. 

“So, where are we?” Rose asked, taking in the room.

“Safest place in the universe.” The Doctor said, going straight for the couch and settling himself down.

“What my flat?” Clara asked folding her arms. The Doctor just nodded. “Alright, welcome to my flat.”

There was a moment of silence where Clara and Rose stood awkwardly in the room not sure what to do as the Doctor just stared out the window into the pouring rain. Clara watched Rose sit down timidly next to the Doctor on her small couch and realized how hard it must be for the two of them after all this time. As much as Clara wanted her own questions about Rose answered, she knew she had to give them some space to work things out.

“How about I make us all a cup of tea. Sound good?”

“Yes, good.” The Doctor mumbled, seemingly deep in thought.

“Sure, thanks.” Rose answered nodding to Clara.

She went into the kitchen and started the tea slowly, trying to hear what was going on in the opposite room. It stayed quiet for a second after Clara left. Just the sound of the rain trickling quietly outside.

“So, Scottish.” Rose started.

“What?”

“You’re Scottish this time, or your accent…”

“Oh, yeah. I’m not sure how that happened.”

“No excuse this time? No, ‘lots of planets have a Scotland’?”

The Doctor chuckled. “You should have seen the last one. Rubbish with a bow tie.”

It was silent again, but a bit more of a comfortable silence than before.

“Listen, Rose. Before something happens, you should know it’s different. I’m different than before.”

“Yeah, kinda figured that. Still with the rude, though.” She mumbled the last bit.

“I mean I’m not boyfriend material anymore.”

“I don’t know if you ever really were.”

“Sorry. I thought-”

“No! I mean- Yeah, I thought too…”

“Oh, good. I-He wanted you to know.” There was a pause. “I can’t do that anymore, though. Not this me.”

“It’s okay. I uh, actually had someone else.”

“Really?!” Clara heard a shift on the couch and she imagined the Doctor sitting up straight suddenly. He may not be anyone's boyfriend, but he sure got jealous like one when things are not about him. She couldn’t blame him. Clara felt a little bit of it, too.

“Yeah.”

“That’s good. I mean, I’ve had people too. Even been married a few times. Queen Elizabeth was one of them.” Clara rolled her eyes. 

“How long has it been for you?”

Clara was surprised at the sudden question. The Doctor must have been too, because he didn’t answer right away. “A thousand years or so.”

“Really? A thousand years?” There was some shifting in the other room. Clara couldn’t quite tell what was going on. Perhaps, it was sinking in for both of them. “It seems like forever ago, and it’s only been 9 years for me.”

“Time is relative.” His voice was void of emotion.

“How do you even remember that long ago.” It wasn’t really a question. More like a quiet musing. 

“I never forget my friends.” 

It was silent again. The rain continued to patter outside. 

“Doctor.” Rose said, quieter than before so Clara had to strain to hear. “What is it with Clara?”

“What?”

“The machine I used to get here is called a Dimension Canon. It measures timelines and Clara’s is all over the place. Splintered in a million pieces.” 

“Oh, that’s my fault. Long story, but she jumped in my timeline to save me and created a bunch of echo versions of herself.”

Rose was silent for a moment. “Does she remember it.”

“Bits and pieces, I think. Why? Is it important?” 

“No, I guess not. Not as important as the universe being destroyed anyway.”

“Alright, let’s get to it than. Clara! Are you done listening in?”

Clara jumped and grabbed the tray she had prepared. She walked in with red cheeks. 

“Sorry. Here you go.”

Rose seemed just as flustered, and wouldn’t look Clara in the eyes. 

“Okay.” The Doctor said sitting at the edge of his seat and taking the mug Clara handed him. “What happened? Spare no detail.”

Clara handed Rose a mug next, and she took it examining it closely. “It’s three sugars no milk. Sorry,” Clara shook her head slightly, “I forgot to ask you I just-”

“It’s fine.” Rose cut off. She drank half her cup before starting. “The stars were going out...”

Right. Clara filed her knowledge of how Rose took her tea as questions for another time. 

“Then we discovered the walls between universes were breaking down, and that we could jump over to figure out what was happening. Instead I ran into Donna in a sort of pocket universe.”

“You were there! She said she met you in a parallel universe, but you never showed up after that.” 

“I tried to. I saw you on the subwave network. With Donna and everyone. We thought it was the Daleks on your end breaking down reality, but they pulled me back before I could get to you. I’m guessing you beat them though. Since you’re still alive.”

“Sort of. It’s a bit of a long story. I accidentally created a human version of myself, and everything. He blew up the daleks and got himself killed in the process. The Daleks find a way back, though, every time.” 

“It wasn’t the Daleks on our side. It was Time Lords, destroying galaxy after galaxy. Burning out stars and planets, and heading straight for earth. We prepared everything we could to protect ourselves, but it wasn’t enough against their technology.”

“That was them in the universe I saw? They were using Dalek ships.” Clara added, hoping to help in some way.

“Why Dalek technology?” The Doctor asked.

“We don’t know.” Rose replied. The Doctor stayed silent, thinking with his mug against his lips.

“Torchwood was overcome. Only the few of us that got out alive scattered. They didn’t destroy the planet like with the others, so we figured they were looking for something, and we think-” Rose grabbed the bag by her feet and set it on the coffee table, bringing the bag down around the machine inside. “this is it.”

The Doctor took out his sonic and scanned it. “The Dimension Cannon.” He moved the box around several times examining every part of it. “But this is very complicated technology, even for your universe. How in the world did a bunch of humans figure out how to make this portable?”

“We had a bit of help from one of your friends.” The Doctor turned his attention back to Rose, his eyebrows raised in confusion. 

“A year ago a Time Lady found us. She was different from the other Time Lords. She said the only way to help would be to find the Doctor and make him finish what he started. She came here to look for you four months ago, and that’s the last we heard from her.” 

The Doctor and Clara looked at each other. 

“It couldn’t be.” Clara tried to calm the Doctor, who stared back at her wide eyed.

He turned his looked to Rose and, dreading the answer, asked, “Missy?”

Rose nodded slowly and watched the Doctor jump up suddenly from his seat on the couch. He began pacing the room. “But she couldn’t. Why would they send her?” He mumbled to himself.

“Did she find you then? What happened?”

“She’s dead.” The Doctor exclaimed through his rambling. 

“No, she can’t be.” Rose told them.

“Well, she is and trust me it’s better off this way.” Clara said, trying not to bring back the terrible memories of that day and the anger and sadness that came with it. 

“No, I mean she can’t be. I followed her signal here.”

It was Clara’s turn to jump up now. 

“What?” The Doctor and Clara sang in unision. 

Rose got on her knees to get closer to the Dimension Cannon on the coffee table and plugged her phone into it with a cord. The Doctor and Clara crowded around her as she pushed buttons and began typing something out on her phone. Seconds later a map of stars and planets appeared on her phone screen. In one corner of whatever galaxy it was showing was a small blinking red dot. 

“That’s her.” Rose said, pointing to the dot.

“But that’s not possible. We watched her get shot by the Cyberman.”

“Of course she got away. She always gets away.” The Doctor snarled, Clara put a hand on the Doctor’s arm in attempt to calm him.

The light went out suddenly and all three of them flinched slightly. 

“Where’d she go?”

Rose began typing on her phone and pushing the buttons on the machine to no avail. 

“She knows we found her.” The Doctor used his sonic screwdriver on the box, but still nothing came up. “ Did she tell you why she was coming? Anything that can help us find her?”

“Just that she needed your help to fix everything. What happened with the Cybermen?” The Doctor got up and started pacing again.

“Missy made an army of Cybermen out of the dead of the earth, and gave it to the Doctor.” Clara explained, biting her thumb as she watched the Doctor pace.

“Why would she give the Doctor an army?”

“She’s a bit of a nutter.”

“The Time Lords sent her. She left a signal for you long enough to follow. She gave Clara my number. She’s putting us together.” The Doctor rambled as he paced back and forth, his heavy steps sounding over the rain.

“Wait. No. Rose gave me your number.” Clara said, standing up and getting ready to sit him back down if he kept pacing. 

It worked because he stopped suddenly in his tracks and looked at Rose with the most confused expression Clara had seen all day.

“Why?” 

“You said you wanted us to have each other.” Clara turned back to Rose who was still sitting on the floor and looking up at them like she was scared.

“How could you have known? Do you just go around giving people my number?” The Doctor didn’t really sound offended or betrayed. Just confused mostly, and upset at not knowing.

Rose looked straight at Clara. Her eyes grew sad and suddenly it was Clara who was scared. 

“I know you. We were friends once. Do you remember?”

Something flashed through Clara’s mind. A face. A feeling. But it was gone before she could catch it. She stared back into the blonde’s eyes and remembered the galaxies that were once there when she was Bad Wolf. She thought if she looked hard enough she could still see them there, under all the pain and exhaustion.

She really was exhausted, Clara realized for the first time after all the running and questions. Her clothes were tattered and worn. Her face was pale except for the dark circles that lay under her eyes.

“How long have you been running?” Clara asked softly. 

Rose got off the floor and sat back on the couch. She didn’t answer.

“You need rest. Both of you.” She said turning to the Doctor who seemed surprised to be remembered after Rose and Clara’s little staring contest.

“We need to find Missy.” The Doctor said matter of factly.

“She’s the only one who knows what all of this is.” Rose stood up.

“No. Rest first.” Clara ordered.

“So bossy.”  
“Bossy.” Rose and the Doctor spoke simultaneously making Clara cross her arms, switching to teacher mode. 

“It’s been a long and stressful day. Both of you are exhausted, and don’t tell me you're not because I can tell.” Clara pointed at the Doctor when he opened his mouth to speak. He closed it quickly and made a face. 

 

“Fine.” The Doctor said, sounding tired and stepping toward the TARDIS.

“No, not in the TARDIS.”

“What?” THe Doctor complained, sounding more and more like a child.

“I don’t trust you’ll sleep on the TARDIS. Doctor, you can take the guest room, and Rose can sleep in my room. I’ll take the couch and make sure you both get rest.”

The Doctor nodded and Clara could really see the exhaustion in his eyes. He walked off down the hall and Clara was left standing with Rose. 

“I have some pjs you can borrow.” 

Rose followed Clara to her room and watched, unsure, as Clara pulled clothes out of a dresser. Clara grabbed some pjs for herself and left to change in the bathroom. 

Clara got changed and then walked back down the hall to the living room where the TARDIS sat awkwardly in the middle taking up most of the room. 

She walked by the guest bedroom and peeked in quickly noticing the Doctor laying awkwardly still in the middle of the bed on top of the blankets. At least he had the taken his coat off. His eyes were open staring up at the ceiling. 

“I’m sorry.” She hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but the Doctor turned to look at her so she went on, “It’s a lot to take in. The time lords, Missy, Rose…”

He didn’t say anything, just turned back to the ceiling. 

“And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about meeting Bad Wolf.”

“It’s fine.” he mumbled.

“I don’t want to do this anymore.” He turned back to look at her with bulging eyes. “We’ve been through enough fruitless lying. You’re my best friend. I trust you with my life, I should be able to trust you with everything else too. From now on 100% honesty, okay?”

He seemed to relax incredibly from his initial reaction. He stayed silent for a minute though and Clara wondered if her whole life would be consumed by the silences between words. 

“I’m sorry I lied about finding Rose.”

Clara smiled. “You must really be tired.”

She saw him smile back at her before she left back down the hallway. She was grabbing some blankets from a closet in the hallway when she noticed a light coming from her bedroom.

She crept quietly into her room and stood in the doorway folding her arms for a second before Rose noticed and threw her phone under the covers.

“Am I going to need to confiscate that?”

“We need to find Missy.”

“We will after you get well rested.”

“I can’t.”

“You can’t sleep?”

Rose rolled over so she was facing away from Clara and threw the comforter over her head, curling into a tight ball underneath. Clara sighed and walked around the bed to the side Rose was facing. She lifted up the covers and started getting into bed. 

The motion made Rose come out from under the blanket and stare at Clara with a look that was equal confusion, fear, and sorrow.

“Is this alright?” Clara asked halfway under the covers. Rose nodded and looked away quickly as Clara got into bed with her.

“You’ve been through a lot. More than me, but I’ve seen things too. Wars, disasters, bloodshed. I’ve seen where you came from. I know I can’t really relate, but if you ever want to talk.”

Clara reached through the blanket to find Rose’s hand, and gave it a light squeeze. Rose locked eyes with her and Clara felt paralyzed under her gaze. Her eyes still shined at Clara, even through the dark. 

“We’ve done this before.” Rose spoke softly.

“What?” Clara asked mesmerized. 

“Your parents went out of town one weekend, you invited me over. We watched crappy romance movies in their bed, just cause we could.”

“We ruined the kitchen making snacks and spent the whole next day cleaning up.” Clara laughed, and then it hit her.

“Woah.” She touched her head with the hand not holding Rose’s. “Oh my stars, that’s you.” 

She saw a face, a Rose Tyler. A younger Rose Tyler who snuck into movies and needed tutoring. A Rose Tyler, Clara had spent months with. 

“Are you okay?” Rose asked, bringing Clara back to the woman in front of her. Clara almost wanted to cry. Rose Tyler, her best friend in another life, now all grown up and living a nightmare. And yet, there was still that light in her eyes. The curiosity, the determination, the hope. Clara imagined the Time Lords hadn’t taken over without a fair fight on Rose’s part. 

After all this time and pain, she was strong and brilliant and...beautiful.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” But the silent tears gave her away.

“Hey.” Rose comforted, setting a hand on Clara’s cheek and wiping her tears with her thumb. “It’s okay. I’m here.”

“I’m sorry.” Clara wiped her eyes with her sleeve. “You’re the one who was left after I died.”

“More than you know, but it’s okay. We’ll be there for each other now.” 

“Is it okay if I stay here tonight?” Clara asked timidly. 

Rose almost laughed, since it was her bed she was asking to sleep in. 

“Yeah, no problem.”

They stayed silent after that as they slowly drifted to sleep with a little less weight on their shoulders than before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow look I actually finished this chapter wtf. Yeah sorry I suck. I don't really have an excuse either except writers block. You all deserve better, but I have kind of fallen back into this story so I will definitely try writing more but I'm not going to make anymore promises since that didn't turn out so well. Anyway, thanks again for all your messages. They are my motivation so thank you very much. And Happy New Year everyone!

**Author's Note:**

> This fic kind of got away from me. It was suppose to be three times Rose and Clara met, and one time they actually met, but it became this big thing and I already have five chapters written, and so many ideas. Please comment if you like it, or something.


End file.
